Rukia: My Life As A Rabbit
by mochi rabbit
Summary: Rukia: There I was just innocently taking my vitamins and all of a sudden, I lose four feet of my height as if I'm not short enough! The only plus is that I've the cutest bunny bob tail. Epilogue complete.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: All characters of Bleach belong to Kubo Tite.

**Rukia: My life as a rabbit**

**Prologue**

"I'm sorry, Kuchiki-san. You just missed him. The manager stepped out for a walk with Yoruichi-san," Ururu said, bowing apologetically.

Rukia frowned slightly. "I guess he forgot. Did he mention leaving anything for me? I reserved an order of Chappy _gigai_ booster pills."

"I'll just look in the storeroom for them. Please wait a moment, Kuchiki-san."

"Thanks. It's the one with a rabbit seal on it!" Rukia called after the smaller girl, browsing nonchalantly through the queer shop.

oooOooo

"Rabbit seal.. Rabbit seal.." the girl murmured, searching the shelves for any sign of a rabbit set on the products.

"Found it!" Ururu grabbed the black container with the unmistakable shape of a rabbit imprinted on the front and ran back to the waiting customer.

"Here you go, Kuchiki-san. I'll tell the shop owner that I put it on your account," Ururu said, handing the paper bag to Rukia.

"Thanks again, Ururu-chan!" Rukia said, waving as she left the shop.

oooOooo

As she walked along the street to Ichigo's house, Rukia pulled the container out from the brown paper bag. She studied the bottle and blinked in confusion.

"Hey.. it's different. Did they change to a new packaging?"

Instead of the usual long-lashed, smiling Chappy mascot, the bottle was a somber black. Well, as long as it still had a Chappy seal on it, she thought, fingering the white rabbit insignia.

No big difference, right?

She popped the cover and swallowed the small pill. Rukia took a few steps and stopped.

_This is… strange. I don't feel so good._

She put out a tentative hand to the wall, steadying herself as her vision began to blur. Rukia shook her head angrily.

_What's happening? I refuse to go into any sort of fainting fit in the middle of the street!_

As the world tilted from beneath her feet, she felt the street rush up to meet her fall. She had time for one thought.

_This is so embarrassing!_

Kuchiki Rukia collapsed softly at the side of the road.

oooOooo

Kurosaki Ichigo strode to the cashier at the convenience store, holding a packet of strawberries as imperceptibly as possible without being hauled out by the store detective for shoplifting.

"Kurosaki-kun!" called out a familiar voice. Inoue waved at him from behind. "What a coincidence."

"Ah, Inoue. Getting some stuff for dinner?" Ichigo asked.

Inoue Orihime smiled. "Peanut butter and seaweed sandwich is on the menu today!"

Ichigo tried to keep a grin on his face while his taste buds revolted at the mere suggestion.

_There she goes –eating weird concoctions again._

After peeking a few times over his shoulder, Inoue enquired, "Where's Kuchiki-san?"

"Oh, she has some business with Urahara-san. She's probably on the street somewhere," he replied.

oooOooo

Rukia raised her head from the ground and blinked, slightly dazed. That stuff had packed a punch!

She stood up, shaking her head to clear the cobwebs from her mind, and reached down to dust herself.

That's when she looked down and saw her hands. She stopped –eyes widening in shock. She would have screamed in horror, if she had been _human_ enough to do so.

She had paws! White, furry paws!

Rukia looked further down. She was standing on two furry hind legs!

She tried not to faint to the ground again. Rukia scurried off at high speed to the glass panels outside the shops.

She pressed one paw timidly to her own reflection in the glass. Black, graceful long-ears, and her own dark indigo eyes stared back in disbelieve.

_Kami-sama_, help! She had turned into a bunny-rabbit! This was a catastrophe. This was an emergency. Someone call the 4th Division Medic Unit. She needed the best healer –Captain Unohana, before she lost her mind. Or had she gone mental already?

Sane people didn't walk around thinking they were rabbits, did they?

But, hey… Rukia narrowed her eyes thoughtfully at her own reflection.

_I look pretty darn cute!_

She twitched her soft nose daintily. _A woffly nose!_

And… Ooh! Ooh! Did she have one too? Rukia quickly hopped around and looked back. Oh, yes! Rukia flashed her bunny-bob tail happily.

_I'm so adorable!_

_

* * *

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Author's Note: Meet Rukia -the rabbit, and my new project after I complete PA system Blues. Where did this come from? C'mon admit it, I bet your primary school teacher once made you write some painful essay with the title running along the lines of "My life as a pencil / Toyota car / Hibiscus flower etc." Confession: I had to suffer all 3 of those variations.

And about the peanut butter and seaweed sandwich –it's not too bad. Tell me what you think? And give me some crazy Orihime concoctions too, if you have them. Although, I'd appreciate it if you tried it yourself 5 hours beforehand and lived to tell the tale. ;)


	2. Chapter 1: Who let the dogs out?

Disclaimer: All characters of Bleach belong to Kubo Tite.

**Rukia: My Life As A Rabbit**

**Chapter One –Who let the dogs out?**

_Rukia: There I was –just innocently taking my vitamins. And all of a sudden, I lose 5-feet of my height. As if I wasn't short enough already! The only saving grace is –I've got the cutest bunny-bob tail you've ever seen!_

_

* * *

_  
Rukia wasn't trained in the _seireitei _Shinigami Academy for nothing. Even in such distress, she tried to quell the panic rising within her newly acquired furry body.

_What do we do now? Oh,noOh,noOh,noo! _

The shinigami squeezed her eyes shut.

_Steady, Rukia! First, what's with the "we" part? That rabbit is you. Accept it. And deal with it, Kuchiki Rukia! Get help. Find Ichigo._

No! Wait! Did she really want Ichigo to see her in this condition? And recognize her for who, or rather _what –_she was now? Because how embarrassing would that be?

That orange-headed fool would very probably point a finger and cackle, "How did you end up like that? Man, you _deserve_ it!"

An over-powering, horrible smell diverted her thoughts to current reality. What was that awful wind? Rukia's eyes widened at the reflection in the glass.

There –a huge salivating monster from a nightmare stood breathing over her. She felt the hot trail of doggy-glue trickling down her white fur.

With her powerful hind legs, Rukia sharply kicked its nose, flashed her bunny-bob tail and ran for her life. The dog gave a few yelps of pain that morphed into deadly growls of rage.

Rukia looked behind her as she scurried down the alleys.

_How could one dog raise such a ruckus?_

To her horror, she saw that at least 3 barking dogs were hot on her heels.

_What is that? Calling backup just for one defenseless rabbit? I'm so honored!_

The dogs gave chase, and Rukia valiantly dashed ahead of the pack. For the dogs, it was the thrill of the hunt. For Rukia, it was the fear pounding in her heart in this pursuit between predator and prey.

Suddenly, Rukia was lifted of her feet and into the protective arms of a little girl. Holding the rabbit high out of reach, the child fiercely yelled at the dogs.

"Scat! Shoo!"

In the arms of her savior, Rukia watched in satisfaction as her chicken-hearted pursuers tucked tail between legs and scampered off.

She sighed. Rukia hadn't encountered such excitement since her childhood runs with Renji and her playmates in the 78th Rukongai District.

The little girl cradled Rabbit Rukia and cooed sweetly, "Ooh, it's a Bugs Bunny! I'll bring you home and we'll have fun playing House. You can be Baby. And I'll be Mommy. Mama will feed you grass and worms. You'll like that, won't you, _Aka-chan_?"

Out of the frying pan and into the fire! Why do children have this innate thing about feeding little animals with worms?

Rukia leaped from the arms of the surprised child and bid her former mistress farewell. But, the little girl didn't take kindly to being abandoned.

"Rascally Rabbits have to be punished!" she screamed.

_Uh-oh!_

Rukia dashed around the corner and scrambled into an overturned trash can. She lay there shivering in the semi-decomposing fast food leftovers. She tried not to think of the ketchup sauce that was mixing into her fur, or the squelchy, putrid bits of mystery substance beneath her paws.

_I think the smell is going to knock me out soon. This is so traumatizing._

oooOooo

"Do you like trying new recipes, Kurosaki-kun? It's surprising how well grilled fish goes with lemon and pepper sauce. You'll never know 'til you try it!"

"That's so… unique, Inoue. The taste must be incredible," Ichigo said weakly, stepping out of the grocery shop beside his classmate.

Ichigo considered it an undisclosed fact that Inoue's taste buds could very well be one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Or perhaps, her stomach –for taking in all those wild concoctions.

Inoue Orihime abruptly cried out in alarm as a gray streak at ground level crashed into her ankles.

Rukia collapsed onto the ground, muscles trembling. She couldn't find the strength in her legs to get up.

"Poor thing!" Inoue exclaimed immediately, bending down to reach for the shuddering form.

"Don't touch it. It's dirty. You don't know where it's been," Ichigo warned.

Rukia's ears twitched at that.

"And it stinks too," Ichigo added, pinching his nose shut. "Looks like it's been playing in the dumpster."

_Mind your mouth, Mister._

"A stray. Probably escaped from its cage, or some kid dumped it in the streets."

"Oh, that's so sad!" Inoue cried, snatching Rukia up into her arms. "Please, Kurosaki-kun, we can't leave it here like this. My apartment regulations doesn't allow pets.." she added meaningfully.

Inoue gave her classmate the same pleading look that her older brother had never been able to resist. It was a skill all younger siblings had, and Ichigo, being an elder brother to not one, but _two _munchkins at home –was especially vulnerable to it since Yuzu and Karin had discovered their _Ichi-nii _was a little defenseless in that department.

Ichigo stared at the rabbit's large eyes.

_Ichigo! It's me! It's me –Rukia! Come on, please recognize who I am!_

Inoue struggled to get a better grip on the rabbit twitching in her arms. It seemed to be lunging straight for Kurosaki's face.

The girl laughed. "Kurosaki-kun, it's your orange hair! The bunny has mistaken you for a giant carrot!"

Ichigo rolled his eyes heavenwards and gave a long suffering sigh. Just what he needed –an animal yearning to chomp on his head. If the world did not ostracize him for his orange hair, its furry rabbit denizens would love him for resembling a carrot.

_Looks like I'm the new owner one extremely smelly rabbit._

_

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_  
Author's note: The little girl called Rukia _Aka-chan_ –short for _Akanbou,_ meaning 'baby'. Inoue's Grilled Fish recipe is a suggestion from BlackSun- White Moon's review.

jonz-3-5 – I do eat seaweed and peanut butter sandwiches.. But after your suggestion of adding ketchup, mustard and carrots to it.. I think I won't face another one for a while.

Procrastinator-starting2moro –Haha! Rukia loving herself as a rabbit –somehow that just summarizes it perfectly.

super kai-chan –Ichigo X Rukia for sure.

Kuchiki Rukia-sama –Oh, Rukia-sama! I like your screen name.

BlackSun-WhiteMoon –Yes, very gross. I couldn't bring myself to add the grape jelly.;)

inugrlluvsanime –I'm not making it up –I swear! I ended my life as a Toyota car when my owner dumped me in the scrap yard for a newer model.

Makino114 –My imagination is out of this world? Heheh.. The people around me are always saying I live in a world of my own.

flOofymikO –You were kidding me about trying out the recipes right? Right:Panics on your behalf..:


	3. Chapter 2: Catch me if you can

Disclaimer: All Bleach characters belong to Kubo Tite.

**Rukia: My Life As A Rabbit**

**Chapter Two –Catch me if you can**

_Rukia: Chased by salivating dogs and a little girl who thought she was my mother. Clambering around in decomposing mystery meat... I think that's enough running around for this rabbit, thank you._

_

* * *

_

Kurosaki Karin stared at her brother's new acquisition while Yuzu welcomed them home. "Ah, Ichi-nii sure is fond of bringing home strays."

Her older brother stiffened and gave her a suspicious look. "What do you mean?"

Karin shrugged. "All those earthbound spirits that follow you home for dinner at seven.."

_That girl living in your futon cupboard._

Ichigo coughed and turned to Inoue. "You know my dad runs the clinic downstairs. We can't have a filthy rabbit running around. So, first things first. A bath."

Inoue carried Rukia and followed the Kurosaki siblings to the bathroom.

Ichigo said, "Let me handle it. I don't want to take the chance of that thing biting you and giving you rabies."

Rukia stiffened in Inoue's arms.

The day she let Ichigo give her a bath would be the day rabbits populated a blue cheese moon.

Like hell she was going to allow that!

_Kurosaki Ichigo, you big 15 year-old pervert!_

Ichigo turned around and gave the unhappy rabbit a pointed look. Almost as if he had heard Rukia's last comment about his depravity.

He said, "Inoue?"

"_Hai_, Kurosaki-kun?"

"I want you to make sure you get a good, firm grip on stinky there."

_Stinky? You'll pay for that insult, Kurosaki Ichigo!_

There was no use struggling. Her massive captors would easily overpower her. Rukia would have to outsmart them.

The devious rabbit settled down in Inoue's arms. She felt the girl's muscles relax.

_That's right, Inoue-chan! Good girl. I'm just a timid little bunny-rabbit. I'm so well-behaved, so sweet and obedient. What –me, escape? Perish the thought!_

Due to Inoue's trusting nature, her grip on the rabbit was lax and unguarded as she set Rukia on the bathroom floor.

Before Ichigo could roll up his sleeves and say, "Hand me that Johnson & Johnson's No Tears Kid's Shampoo." –Rukia was off like a shot.

There was an immediate Red Alert situation in the house. Rukia heard the frightening sounds of thundering footsteps behind her. The wooden floorboards shook beneath the impact of the chase.

She squeezed herself under the shoe rack between Ichigo's size 11 sport shoes.

_Pheew, Ichigo! You call me Stinky? When was the last time you washed your shoes? Or your feet, you big hypocrite!_

Karin's face suddenly appeared before her. "Found you!" the younger girl yelled triumphantly.

Rukia sprang out and jumped towards the surprised Karin's face. Her powerful hind legs propelled her gracefully into the air as she kicked off from Karin's head like a diver from a springboard. The younger girl's curses were muffled as her face was unexpectedly jammed to the floor.

Up, up… and away!

oooOooo

Kurosaki Ichigo lifted the pink ruffled edge of his sister's quilt.

Beneath the darkened space of Yuzu's bed, the cornered rabbit stared back balefully at him.

He said evenly, "Look, we can do this the easy way. Or the hard way. You quietly come out from there and I won't have to come get you. Believe me, you don't want that."

The rabbit crouched low to the ground.

_Let's see who's more stubborn here. You? Or me?_

Ichigo didn't even know why he bothered reasoning with the little rogue.

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

Rukia watched as his face disappeared from view. The ruffled skirt of the quilt lifted again and the head of a broom came sweeping under the bed. She tried to scurry out of the way to no avail.

She skidded across the floor on her furry stomach –swept out like a Dust Bunny.

_Most undignified!_

oooOooo

Ichigo carried the struggling rabbit in his hands to its fate waiting in the bathroom. He gently tugged the elastic band from Yuzu's ponytail as he passed by.

"I'll need that," he said.

Inoue watched as Ichigo tied the wily rabbit's hind legs together. "Oh, is that really necessary, Kurosaki-kun?"

"Yes!" said Ichigo and Karin as one.

"I'm not going to chase a soapy bunny around the house." He looked Rukia in the eye and added for her benefit, "If you're thinking of slipping out of my hands –forget it."

In a few minutes, Rabbit Rukia was subjected to the mortification of being bathed by Ichigo. But, her spitfire personality would not permit her to fully submit to the indignity.

_I won't forget this, Kurosaki Ichigo! I swear it. Just you wait –when I return to my normal form –I'll show you!_

_You can keep me captive by unfair advantage! You can chain my feet, but not my spirit!_

_Or my teeth!_

With that, Rukia sank her molars into Ichigo's exposed finger.

"Y-OW!"

* * *

Author's Note: Honestly, who do you pity more in this chapter? 


	4. Chapter 3: The Lion, the Rabbit

Disclaimer: All characters of Bleach belong to Kubo Tite.

**Rukia: My Life As A Rabbit**

**Chapter Three –The Lion, the Rabbit and the futon closet**

_Rukia: Seriously, you don't have to sympathize with Ichigo. I didn't bite him 'that' hard –not really. And I'm sure it didn't hurt –not much anyway._

_

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Ichigo unceremoniously dropped the rabbit to his bedroom floor. The dirty stray had turned out to be a white-furred, black-eared bunny beneath all that dirt. After subjecting it to a rubdown accompanied by the blast of warm air from Yuzu's hairdryer, the fur on its tiny body had poofed out considerably.

Rukia winced when she caught the sight of her own reflection in the bathroom mirror. "Ugh, I'm having a bad hair day!"

She looked as if she had bitten down on a live wire instead of Ichigo's finger.

Now, Rukia observed her surroundings and thought wryly how spacious Ichigo's bedroom seemed. Talk about taking a look at life from a different perspective! This was a little extreme though..

Ichigo watched as she hopped lightly across the tatami mats. The rabbit propped her fore feet up on the sliding doors to the futon closet.

"There's nothing interesting in there," Ichigo said. "Well, not now at least.." he added, amused.

Rukia backed up as she saw Ichigo's feet padding towards her. In her new fragile form, she was feeling a little delicate. Rukia wasn't comfortable with the idea of being held at all.

Ichigo's hands were sort of… _big_. She knew he could wield an oversized zanpakutou in battle with ease. But right now, it concerned her more that he could very well squish a bunny single-handedly if he was careless with his unreasonable strength.

The boy stopped in his tracks when he realized the rabbit was scuttling away from him with a wary look in her eyes, velvet-black ears twitching nervously.

He frowned slightly. Well, it couldn't be helped. He supposed that bath hadn't been a pleasant experience for anyone.

To Rukia's relief, Ichigo seemed to change his mind about picking her up. Instead, he settled down at his desk and opened his school texts.

Watching his form at the desk, it was almost as if today was no different from any other day before. Rukia felt a little downcast.

_How can things be the same when I'm…_

Her thoughts were loudly interrupted by a familiar voice. "So, you're the invading pest who's trying to replace _me _in sister's affections? Dream on! It'll never happen..."

Rukia rolled her eyes as Kon went on and on about his charming self and his prominent position in _nee-san's_ heart. So much for hoping that somebody closer to her own size would be more understanding of her predicament.

Rukia jumped on the possessed toy. Kon landed flat on his back with the rabbit nonchalantly sitting on him.

Ichigo shook his head at the unlikely sight of a lion being subdued by a rabbit. It was just so _wrong._

"Get off me, you big bullying, deceitful Easter rabbit!"

"Try to stand up for your pride as a lion once in while, Kon," Ichigo said dryly as he plucked Rukia off the raving stuffed-toy.

oooOooo

At 11.00 p.m., the sound of the bedroom door closing woke Rukia up from her nap. Ichigo strode in with a bowl of freshly washed strawberries.

He set them down on the table and scowled at the time on his clock. Every hour that ticked past without any sign of a certain petite shinigami girl returning home was getting on his nerves more and more as it grew later into the night.

The bowl of strawberries were left untouched as Ichigo distracted himself from the manga in his hands by glancing surreptitiously at the clock every few minutes.

Finally, to assure himself that has was _not _actually waiting for _anyone_ like some anxious parent staying up for a kid out past curfew time –he reached for one of the red fruits and munched down viciously on it.

Then he realized that the rabbit had actually moved closer and was making little hopeful snuffling noises, ears perked up in interest.

The rabbit was watching him eat strawberries. Or rather, it was watching the strawberries he decided. Her nose followed the path traced by the small fruit in his fingers as he moved it hypnotically before her.

Abruptly, he popped the berry into his mouth and snickered slightly at the reproachful look that earned him from the bunny.

"Do rabbits eat strawberries?"

Ichigo picked up another fruit and mused, "They only eat vegetables, right? So, I'll eat the strawberries and you can have the leafy stem bit. How about that?"

Rukia sniffed disdainfully. _It's cruel to tease the bunny!_

The boy held out a fruit to her, relenting it when she snatched it quickly from his fingers before hopping out of reach again. He watched her finish it before he offered another one.

This time, when she tried to pull it from his fingers, he held on. She nibbled at it warily, stopping only for a moment when he tentatively reached out to pet her lightly.

Suddenly, the peaceful night was broken by the shrill, piercing alarm of a Hollow alert. Ichigo grabbed his shinigami representative license and moved out for another night of Hollow hunting.

Rukia watched as Ichigo jumped off the window ledge into the shadowy streets. Strange… She felt as if she was being left behind. But, that was just silly.

oooOooo

Later that night, when Ichigo sneaked in through the open window, he scanned his bedroom silently and his eyebrows knitted together as he frowned.

He walked downstairs to place the bowl of remaining strawberries he had kept for Rukia into the fridge. When he closed the door of the kitchen refrigerator, he slammed it harder than necessary.

Ichigo waited. But, Rukia did not return that night to climb up to his window with an explanation.

* * *

Author's Note: Ichigo had Rukia eating out of the palm of his hand… heh.

Procrastinator-starting2moro -If Rukia were in the state to do so, she would probably report Ichigo for breaking those animal cruelty laws.

Kushiro –Rukia can handle herself alright, most likely exploit the situation too.

Syneiam –Thanks for looking forward to this chapter. I hope I can live up to expectations.

BlackSun-WhiteMoon –Well, there's a difference between 'taking a bath with Ichigo' and being 'given a bath by…" –coughs!- Don't make me say it.

Makino114 –Haha. I guess you can understand Rukia's "outrage" about that incident.

Seaplue  -The clothes! Wow, you're really thinking ahead about this!

Luna12 –What happens? Well, as much suffering as possible would be high on the list.

tin797 –Rukia's cute, even when she's torturing Ichigo.

inugrlluvsanime –Seriously, Pringles? –wonders how on earth one writes about Pringles..-

Zero-Vision –SMFO (smiling my face off) at your review!

flOofymikO –You have just made the most Orihime comment I've ever heard. "My stomach can handle it!" –Sweatdrops!-

LadieAnimeFreek –Hmm.. how indeed!

j6girl –Updating! Updating..

Faith the Apostle –Haha. Ichigo must feel sad that everyone thinks Rukia's cute even after all his pain.

Elizabeth D. O'Connell –I'm glad you found it funny!

Ringo Nonohara –The one person who feels more for Ichigo! Yes, Ichigo's definitely "going to get it" at the end.


	5. Chapter 4: Pet Shop of Horrors

Disclaimer: All characters of Bleach belong to Kubo Tite.

**Rukia: My Life As A Rabbit**

**Chapter Four –Pet Shop of Horrors**

_Rukia: I confess. When I saw the bandage on Ichigo's finger as he offered me those strawberries, I felt just a little… guilty. _

_But, really, if Ichigo knew he was "feeding" me strawberries –he'd die of embarrassment. Wait a minute. I think if he found out that I was eating out of his hand –I'd die of embarrassment!_

_

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Ichigo knew that glaring at little old ladies would very likely get him hauled off to the district police station for Intent to Cause Harm. It was the image he exuded –one strapping youth with brightly colored hair and a perpetual scowl on his face. It all added up to 'trouble' in the eyes of the law.

But, as the fourth grandmotherly woman on his street did a double take at the sight of the rabbit cradled in his arms –he conceded that he probably made a different impression today.

He gave her a weak smile that was just a little pained, bowed slightly and muttered a "Good Morning.." before walking away quickly. This was embarrassing. He was just relieved that his school mates were probably still snoring in bed at this hour.

oooOooo

Ichigo's heart sank when he saw the metal folding-gate shut down over the entrance of Urahara's store. There was a notice spray-painted across it in red resembling the threat messages left by loan-sharks out to claim overdue payments.

_Dear Valued Customers,_

_WE ARE CLOSED FOR VACATION. _

Ichigo could feel a headache developing. Away for vacation. Had Rukia followed them? Was that why she hadn't come home last night?

Meanwhile, Rukia stared in horror at the message spray-painted above. She couldn't believe this! With Urahara gone, who was going to take responsibility for her current state?

She heard Ichigo mutter, "Damn it, Rukia! You could have at least informed me that you were going off with those nutcases...Hey! Oww! What the hell? Quit that!"

The rabbit had gone mad. It was jumping up and down on his foot.

_Wrong! Wrong! Ichigo, you thick-headed fool! How could you think I'm on a stupid holiday when I'm stuck in a furry body!_

Now, Ichigo had a throbbing foot to match his aching head.

oooOooo

In a stroke of genius, Ichigo had stuffed the rabbit in his backpack to avoid earning more curious stares from passers-by. He left the draw-strings loose so that his 'passenger' wouldn't suffocate by the time he reached the pet shop.

The pet shop assistant approached the young man as he looked around the store awkwardly. "How may I help you?"

The boy ruffled his hair nervously. "I… uh, that is…" he stammered uncertainly. Then, he shifted his backpack off his shoulders onto the floor.

To her surprise, he pulled out a small rabbit from the backpack and gave an outraged yell. As he held the bag up, she could see that the rabbit had chewed a sizeable hole at the bottom.

"My original BAPE bag!" he mourned sadly. The rabbit at fault sat smugly at his feet.

The shop assistant recovered quickly –seeing her chance to make a sales pitch. "You should really invest in one of these handy pet carriers!" she said, gesturing at the shelves.

Rukia's eyes lit up and she zoomed towards a frilly and lacey creation. With the multitude of ribbons and ruffled skirts, it looked like one of Ishida's handicraft projects.

Rukia peeked out from between the lacey curtains.

_Look at me, Ichigo! Don't I look cute in this? Choose this one! This one!_

It was fit for a princess. But, if Ichigo carried that in public –he would be laughed out of Karakura town.

He said pointedly, "If you think I'm going to tot you around in that fussy _nightmare_ –think again!"

He stretched out a hand to the rabbit. "Come on. We're getting something more practical."

_Oh.. and where's the "we" in this? You're the one making all the decisions._

Rukia turned her back on Ichigo's hands, effectively snubbing him.

"Don't be difficult."

The sales assistant tried not to look as if she was eavesdropping. Oh, she saw lots of them coming in –these nutty pet owners who conversed with their pets. She wondered about them.

Ichigo noticed the assistant darting furtive looks at him, and he hissed softly, "Look, somebody's watching this. Behave for once!"

She continued to ignore him.

"Fine! Be like that." He reached in and snatched her up.

Rukia held herself stiffly in his arms, unusually still. She averted her face as Ichigo purchased a carrier that didn't declare a challenge to his tough-guy reputation.

She didn't show any interest towards the other jingling and squeaking playthings offered either.

Ichigo stared hard at the rabbit in his arms. If he didn't know better, he would think that the rabbit was sulking!

Were rabbits even capable of doing that?

He brought her up to eye level. The rabbit's eyes coolly slipped past him.

"I should change your name from Stinky to Spoiled Brat."

Ichigo turned to the sales assistant. "Is the vet in? The rabbit needs a checkup and probably shots too."

Rukia's ears perked up in alarm. She had not considered this at all. Shots? Was Ichigo mad? She wasn't a rabbit! Actually, that was debatable… But, there were limits to the things she would compromise –and getting shots meant for _animals _was definitely over the line.

_Help!_

_

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Author's Note: There's a little issue about the IchiRuki pairing.. because in this case it wouldn't be just a simple IchigoxRukia. But, BoyxRabbit? I'm thinking too much!

Umi Kanshisha –Hope you found your Vol. 9 to satisfy those Bleach cravings.

Zero-Vision –A fluffy fic was unavoidable due to the fluffy rabbit hopping around in it.

Syneiam –No need to thank me for the chapter. The pleasure is all mine.

Procrastinator-starting2moro –I wasn't hinting at anything _erotic_ at all! Oh, no… -tries to hide evil grin behind hand..-

cyin  -How does Rukia attain her human form again? Ah, it would be possible she prefers to remain in her rabbit form. ;)

inugrlluvsanime –Aiks.. Ichigo turning into a rabbit? Now you've got a possible fanfic waiting to happen there.

flOofymikO – (..but...it's true...it takes a LOT to get me sick 3) You have made yet another Orihime comment there!

jadeb –I could not resist the opportunity to put Ichigo+Strawberry+Rabbit/Rukia in one scene.

Seaplue –The next chaper here, at your service.

ha –Glad you found it funny.

LadieAnimeFreek –Well, if it's okay for "manly men" to confide in their doggie companions, why not in a bunny? Okay.. that came out sounding all wrong.

SHiNiGAMiLENNE –If only Ichigo knew he had Rukia eating out of his hand..

Kushiro –:laughs at the idea of Rabbit Rukia meeting Chad: That has to happen!

Kuchiki Rukia-sama -The great Kubo Tite would never allow it to take place in his shounen manga though. ;)

Lunarstarlilies –Haha. I melt whenever Ichigo shows that he cares in the manga and anime.

super kai-chan –Thanks for letting me know that line worked out fine! Good to get feedback.


	6. Chapter 5: Class Pet

Disclaimer: All Bleach characters belong to Kubo Tite.

**Rukia: My Life As A Rabbit**

**Chapter Five –Class Pet**

_Rukia: That quack actually injected something in me! I'm not even a normal human to begin with. Don't talk about being a normal rabbit. If I mutate into some horrible monster –first thing I do is bite Ichigo's head off!_

_

* * *

_  
Ichigo tried to ignore the injured look the rabbit was giving him. Whoever said that rabbits were docile creatures had obviously never handled this one.

When he had handed her over to the vet for shots, she had managed to sneak in a few spiteful nips at his fingers.

_This is betrayal, Ichigo! How could you let that psycho poke me with that torture instrument like some 12th Division lab experiment! _

Ichigo winced as Yuzu dabbed a little antiseptic medicine on his rabbit-nibbled fingertips. He watched the rabbit crunching away at the carrot snack his sister had offered in the kitchen. Seeing those bunny teeth at work was a painful reminder to his mutilated digits.

Karin leaned on the kitchen counter, her head tilted in a thoughtful manner. "Hmm.. What did you do to the rabbit, Ichi-nii? It doesn't seem to like you a lot."

He gave a long suffering sigh in reply. When was Rukia going to come back so he could throw this furry menace into her face? With her fondness for all things Chappy-shaped, she would probably welcome the furball with open-arms. And annoying happy squeals.

He stopped the little smile twitching at the corner of his lips. Not that he was doing this to make her happy or anything, you understand… It would just be convenient so he could hand over the zoo-keeper responsibilities to her.

oooOooo

"Good morning, Kurosaki-kun!"

Ichigo lifted his head from the crook of his elbows. He was slumped over his school desk in that position common among students in the early hours of the morning.

"Ah, 'morning… Inoue." he said, waving a hand sleepily.

"Kurosaki-kun," she cried in alarm, seeing the multiple bandages, "your fingers! What happened?"

Ichigo tried to sneak his hands under the desk quickly. If you looked close enough, Yuzu had actually used some stupid Hello Kitty motive band aids. She thought they looked cute. He thought he was _this_ close to throwing a fit when he realized the crisis doomed upon his image come Monday morning.

Ishida's hand snaked out and caught his wrist faster than he could hide those pink Hello Kitty-fied fingers. "Are you attempting beginners sewing lessons, Kurosaki?"

"Are you for real? Idiot! There's no way _I_ would... How could you even think _I _would…" he stammered indignantly. "Sewing is _sissy_, you understand? And I don't do _sissy_!"

"No need to scream, Kurosaki," Ishida said calmly, pushing up his spectacles.

"I'm not screaming!" he yelled, snatching his hand out of the Quincy's grip.

Ichigo's loud denials were suddenly forgotten when panicked shrieks erupted from a few girls in his class. He saw Ogawa Michiru jumping up to safety on a chair. Another girl leaped up beside her, and clutched on anxiously.

"What was that? Did you see that?"

"Something _weird_ rubbed against my ankles!" Michiru sobbed in distress.

Somewhere below the desks, Rukia silently planned her escape route. She darted out and zoomed straight into a large pair of shoes.

_Who stuck those boats in my way when I wasn't looking?_

Rukia looked up at the owner of the giant shoes. And kept looking up. It was like viewing the top of a skyscraper from the ground, only to see Sado Yasutora's face up in the distance.

He peered down at her for a moment, before scooping her up in his huge hands.

_Nice Sado… Don't break the fragile bunny, please?_

The appearance of the little rabbit elicited squeals of adoration from the female half of the population.

But, Ichigo pointed one horrified (and bandaged) finger accusingly at the rabbit. "_You! _How did you get here?"

Asano Keigo looked from the white rabbit to Ichigo. "You two… know each other?"

"Ah, Asano, don't say that as if it's a meeting between two people…" Mizuiro said weakly.

Rabbit Rukia rolled her eyes at Ichigo's expression of aghast.

_Hello, Ichigo! I didn't want to miss classes too. Sneaking in your schoolbag was a cakewalk with my superior intelligence._

_It's so easy to outsmart you. We'll need to work on that detail in Shinigami training._

Sudden understanding dawned upon Ichigo as he thought back about Yuzu's questions early this morning.

"_Ichi-nii, have you seen my bedroom slippers? I lost the left one."_

"_No, I haven't. How many times have I told you not to ask me about your pajamas and… uh, missing stuff…"_

Before leaving for school, he had glanced at the blanket pile in the corner of his room. He could just make out the rabbit ears poking out since the sleeping bunny was burrowed deeply in the folds of the material.

Now, he realized belatedly that Yuzu owned a pair of fluffy _rabbit bedroom slippers_, for cryin' out loud!

Ichigo clapped a hand over his eyes. He couldn't bear to watch this anymore. His life was being turned freakin' upside down by a rabbit!

Ochi-sensei walked into class 1-3 and called out, "What's all the fuss about? Girls, get down from those chairs! And Sado-kun, put down that rabbit and take your seat so we can get class started…"

Ochi-sensei stopped and spun around from the blackboard. "…that _rabbit_? Wait a minute…!"

Ichigo groaned. Just when you think things can't get any worse.

* * *

Author's Note: Remember that nursery rhyme about Mary and her little lamb? It followed her to school one day. ;)

Painting.In.Blood –"Kawaii-est?" The English language is so flexible in assimilating new words. ;) Well, Rabbit Rukia won't be 'outed' for what she really is for a while.

Syneiam -Oh, your review! It made me so happy. I'm really trying to write something that will give readers a light and feel-good mood. (Because it's a big, bad world out there..) You make me feel as if I've succeeded. I'll continue to work on it!

Procrastinator-starting2moro –Rukia has no communication problems. But, Ichigo must think he's going nuts by now.

Seaplue –Ichigo won't realize anytime soon. I'm setting the stage for something else before that.

Faith the Apostle –The call for updates! I hear and obey.

SHiNiGAMiLENNE –The class discovers Ichigo's fluffy bunny pet! That is the sound of Ichigo's tough guy reputation going down the rubbish chute.

Umi Kanshisha –Rukia fussing over Ichigo in rabbit form? You're right, he would be peeved. But, only because he'd die before he'd admit to enjoying all the attention. And your Orihime recipe actually sounds… edible!

Zero-Vision –Wow.. thank you! That's a compliment.

inugrlluvsanime –Could it be that evil lurks beneath a story of a fluffy rabbit? ;) I've got to campaign for Ichigo more so he gets some sympathy too.

Ouran Host Club Hime –I'm glad you liked it. I hear your call to update.

RayneJade –Thank you! I'll continue trying to provide more laughs.

LadieAnimeFreek –I can see you've really given this some serious thought! Getting that mod soul from Kon won't be easy at all. And I'm playing on the card that Rukia would rather try to solve her "furry problem" on her own before letting Ichigo know. About that getting 'fixed' thing.. I was thinking about it. (Ah, just joking!)

Flamester101 –Your screen name must frequently give writers a minor cardiac arrest each time you review! ;) Well, I try to thwart spelling errors by writing one chapter ahead each week. Then, I'd read it again the next time before posting. And about the length.. working on it! I'm still scared of writing something that'll turn out 'long and boring'.

Nekonekochan –Yes, the boy/bunny issue.. I'll be extra careful not to cross any lines! ;)

flOofymikO –Oh, don't stop your Orihime comments! I really enjoy them. I'm glad you liked that line! Just wish Ichigo could have "heard" that one.

candee –It's all thanks to Kubo Tite's amazing skills in creating fantastic characters!


	7. Chapter 6: Dandelion Fluff

Disclaimer: All Bleach characters belong to Kubo Tite.

**Rukia: My Life As A Rabbit**

**Chapter Six –Dandelion Fluff**

_Rukia: So, how does it feel to be outsmarted by a 'rabbit', Ichigo? Now you'll have to take back all those things you said about Chappy, the rabbit being stupid. Silly rabbit cartoon indeed!_

_

* * *

_  
Kurosaki Ichigo watched glumly as his classmates, chatting happily, filed out after the last bell signaled the end of school. He tried to look like he just _had to_ figure out that one, last math question, and not in fact, as if he was waiting for the last classmate to leave the room -because his teacher had said, See me after class.

See me after class. Those fateful words that every student on the face of the planet dreaded to hear. And he knew this wasn't going to be about his bright hair, or his school results.

This was going to be about his Flagrant Disregard For School Rules. For a change, it wasn't because he had knocked a trouble-seeking jerk into bloody unconsciousness. One could even wonder if this was the same boy who had brought his pet to school today. His _pet rabbit!_

The girls in class had been pretty _impressed_ by that though. _"You have a pet rabbit, classmate Kurosaki? We think that's so sweet!"_

Oh, yeah. Sweet. He couldn't wait for this to get around the neighborhood. Once those ruffians had stopped rolling on the streets laughing, they'd give him a hell of a time about the bunny-custody.

Well, he'd face those hoodlums later. Right now, he had a teacher to see.

Ichigo shifted his feet nervously. Ochi-sensei tried to suppress the laughter threatening to bubble up from her throat. Strict, stern face, Strict, stern face, she told herself over and over. Oh, this was too much! She could hardly keep her face straight.

The sight of Kurosaki guiltily cradling a rabbit in his arms was just so… _wrong!_ The image was completely at odds with his usual tough-guy exterior.

Ochi-sensei composed herself. "I'm sure you're aware of the school rules, Kurosaki-kun. No pets are allowed."

"I'm sorry, sensei. I didn't intend to bring the rabbit from home. It just.. uh, followed me to school. In my bag. It was an accident," Ichigo said, speaking rapidly.

_In his bag! _Ochi-sensei felt the corners of her lips twitching to restrain her mirth. Actually, she thought it would have been more entertaining if Kurosaki had reached for a book, and discovered his faithful pet instead. He would have screamed the ceiling down.

"Don't let it happen again."

"No, sensei."

"What? Are you telling me you won't obey the rules?"

"No! I mean.. Yes! Uh, that is.. No, I'm not disobeying the rules. And Yes, it won't happen again, sensei," Ichigo replied carefully.

Ochi-sensei waited serenely until she heard Ichigo leave and shut the classroom door. Then, she burst out laughing in loud guffaws.

Outside, in the hallway, Ichigo winced when he heard his teacher accompanying her laughter with a few good thumps on the desktop.

He looked down at the rabbit resting in the crook of his arms and briefly considered stuffing it in his school bag. Then, he contemplated the risks of putting the deranged rabbit within chewing distance of his assignment papers and notes.

Potential damage just waiting to happen.

Kurosaki Ichigo sighed heavily. It was going to be a long walk home.

oooOooo

In the late afternoon, as Yuzu prepared dinner in the kitchen, she heard her brother's rapid footsteps down the stairs.

He stopped shortly in the hall and called out, "I'm going out for a walk!"

"Okay. Remember to come home before seven for dinner, Onii-chan. You…" Yuzu's voice trailed off. She stared in surprise at her brother's back as he strode out to the main door. "Ehh?"

She blinked a few times, the ladle in her hand dropped with an audible plop into tonight's _miso_ soup.

_Did I just see… the rabbit riding in the back of Onii-chan's hooded shirt?_

oooOooo

Ichigo could feel the warm weight of his furry passenger against the nape of his neck. He tightened the drawstrings to the hood of his sweater to make it slightly safer for the unusual commuter on his back.

As strange as it sounds, Ichigo felt that he shared one mutual affinity with the little ponies at the Karakura Zoo.

The miniature horses trotted around with delighted children on their backs. Ichigo trudged the streets with his little sisters on his back -most often, both the little sisters at the same time.

And Rukia.

He hadn't really felt like anyone's horsie-ride until he had the _privilege_ of carrying Rukia on his back during Shinigami patrols.

The poor boy had discovered that Kuchiki's were very adept at giving orders. And Rukia was definitely an expert.

She would point the way with one imperious finger, and if he didn't respond quickly enough to the "General" on his back, she would bark the command right into his ear (loudly), while whapping her palm impatiently on his shoulder.

Throwing her off like an ill-behaved steed was not an option because the act would, no doubt, result in unpleasant repercussions. So, Ichigo obeyed the petite girl on his back and tried his best not to think of the 350¥ pony rides at Karakura Zoo.

oooOooo

A pair of black, bunny ears flopped against Ichigo's neck, tickling him slightly as the rabbit peeked out from the improvised pouch. Rukia noted that she was pretty far off the ground. Well, Ichigo was a tall boy after all.

If she slipped from this height, she thought she would still be capable of landing on her feet unscathed.

_The problem would be if Ichigo trips on me and falls. I'll be flattened faster than anyone could yell, Timber!_

The image-conscious boy never gave piggy-back rides for fun. Maybe to his sisters, but absolutely not when it came to her. What would the neighborhood think?

Rukia had never actually been given the opportunity to put her head down against his back this way before–eventhough this wasn't the first time he was carrying her around. It would have been too awkward for him and for her.

Secure and warm.

_You've got nice shoulders, Ichigo. And I'm only saying this because you can't hear me…_

oooOooo

The boy walked along the grassy riverbank until he came to a spot familiar to him. He settled down on the turf, thanking the earlier sunny weather for being cooperative. Getting his jeans damp was one thing, but Yuzu said the grass stains gave her a headache.

Ichigo was glad that his riverside haven still remained unpolluted by beer cans and candy bar wrappers. In May, there were even fireflies in the summer evenings. The place was only tainted by that one memory…

There were patches of dandelion thriving on the grassy plane. Rukia rampaged through them –admiring the way the white, fluffy seedlings took flight in her wake.

She looked around. Ichigo was lying back on the grass, eyes closed. Rukia hopped up to his head of spiky hair.

The biggest dandelion around, she crowed silently.

Ichigo felt the rabbit ruffling his hair. The boy reached over and picked her up, placing her on his chest where he could see her.

Bits of white, feathery seedlings floated off her fur. Ichigo stared incredulously. Was she moulting?

"Cripes! You're covered with dandelion fluff!"

Rukia smirked to herself. _Oh, so are you! I got some in your hair._

She tried to squirm out of his grasp, but Ichigo held her down. "Not so fast! You're not carrying that stuff back home. My room is no Fairy Garden," he grumbled.

Ichigo began combing the seedlings from her fur. "It's already girly enough with you in it."

Even when he thought he had gotten nearly everything out, Ichigo absently continued stroking the soft fur.

The repetitive motion was strangely… calming for the both of them.

Rukia was feeling the soporific effect of it, especially since it was combined with the even rise and fall of Ichigo's breathing.

Vaguely, in her half-dazed state, Rukia thought she should make an effort to move away. This was wrong.

_I shouldn't be lying on his chest like this. Or allow him to run his fingers down my back like that._

_I'm not anyone's pet._

Rukia could feel and hear the steady thudding of his heartbeat below her, and it lulled all her misgivings away.

oooOooo

A strong wind rustled through the willow fronds, stirring Ichigo from his restful state. Sensing a sudden change in his surroundings, brown eyes snapped open, and sharpened with unease.

A dark, shadowy portal materialized in the fabric of his world, confirming his agitated sixth sense. A Hollow pulled itself through the threshold, dispelling the earlier peace and serenity.

Ichigo drew his Shinigami representative license out of his pocket and took on his spectral form. The orange haired Death God answered the shrill calls to duty, zanpakutou in hand.

* * *

Author's Note: It's getting too _girly_… The Hollow has come to restore some dignity to the shounen genre. ;) 


	8. Chapter 7: Dinnertime

Disclaimer: All Bleach characters belong to Kubo Tite.

**Rukia: My Life As A Rabbit**

**Chapter Seven –Dinnertime**

_Rukia: There's a Hollow just 10 feet away and I can do nothing in my current form. Just where were the rabbits when the Creator handed out quills to the porcupines, scent glands to the skunks, and tree-climbing abilities to the squirrels?_

_

* * *

_  
The Hollow flicked out a long tongue, tasting the air for the reiatsu that had called out to its hunting instincts. The iridescent scales on its body glimmered as it snaked around on four clawed feet to face the scowling youth on its left.

Damn it. He hated it when they had tough hides like that. The Hollow made Ichigo think of the iguanas he had seen in the pet store. But, he knew no creature in Kingdom Animalia had a bone-white mask like that for a face.

Then, the creature charged him. Ichigo cursed. His prone mortal body was a handicap. He needed to divert the attack away.

Ichigo leaped over the Hollow, slashing deep into its shoulder. It hissed in pain and fury, jaws snapping after his feet.

_That's right. Follow the Death God…_

Just as Ichigo was preparing to slice the Hollow's mask –it turned away and darted back, straight towards Ichigo's abandoned body on the ground.

_No, that's not right! Hollows go after souls, not flesh! _

Why was this over-grown lizard targetting his body?

It lunged. And Ichigo saw that it wasn't his human flesh that the Hollow craved –it was the white rabbit scurrying through the grass.

Ichigo plunged Zangetsu savagely down onto the Hollow's whipping tail, pinning it down to soil and earth. That would stop it in its tracks.

But, to his shock, the fiend detached its tail –exactly like one of the house-lizards in the kitchen at home that had Yuzu throwing pots and pans, screaming for help.

Ichigo's _shun-po _brought him in a dive between the Hollow and the rabbit. He scooped the bunny up to safety in his arms, but he was not quick enough to avoid the teeth that painfully grazed his shoulder as he leaped away.

Ichigo landed awkwardly on the grass, knees giving out beneath his weight. He slumped to the ground, cursing the very existence of venom-producing glands. The quick toxins were paralyzing his limbs, and shutting down his vision.

_Oh, hell… All I can do is lie down here while it chews my foot off._

Ichigo really detested it when Hollows were equipped to play chemical-warfare with him.

oooOooo

Rukia slipped out from Ichigo's hands. Rabbit or not. She was Shinigami no matter what.

_Dominator…_

_Mask of flesh and blood…_

Death Gods aren't trained just to wield zanpakutous. And Rukia was no stranger to the Demon Arts.

_Truth and temperance…_

_Slightly imbed your claws into the walls of innocent dreams…_

Rukia's indigo eyes flashed with determination.

_Destructive Art 33-_

There was an incandescent glow, as light bloomed out around Rukia.

_Blue Firefall!_

A supernova left Rukia's fingers as she stood her ground against the approaching Hollow. The incredible energy hit with enough destruction force to drive it back. The creature was injured, but not exterminated.

Rukia's eyes widened in surprise as an unfamiliar shinigami leaped up and dealt the final blow to the Hollow. The white mask disintegrated into fine dust, carried away by the sweeping wind.

Rukia braced herself, palms pressing down on her knees in the stance taken by runners struggling to recover their breaths.

She didn't need the harsh sound of her own breathing in the stillness to tell her that oxygen debt was not her only worry. The spell had drained her spirit power close to exhaustion.

"Yo, girl! You feelin' alright there?"

Rukia lifted her head to stare at the newly arrived shinigami. He hefted his sword on one shoulder and patted his afro-styled, black hair meticulously. "You were real lucky that I, Kurumadani Zennosuke –Elite Shinigami in charge of this territory, was around to save yer ass."

He paused to look down at the unconscious Ichigo at her feet. "Or _asses_, as the case may be."

This weirdo was giving her a headache. Actually, the whole situation was hurting her head and making her dizzy.

She was back in her _gigai_. Was her life as a rabbit over?

Rukia stumbled as a pain in her chest caught her by surprise.

"Whoa, what's your damage, girl? Do you need-"

The self-proclaimed Elite Shinigami stopped short as a brief flash lit the evening surroundings. Then, he stared in shock at the white rabbit lying where the girl had been standing moments before. "Hell! What in the world just happened?"

His loud exclamations of disbelieve woke Ichigo from his tranquilized state. The boy shook his head, one hand massaging the haze of confusion from his mind.

He got up to his feet shakily, scanning the area. Hollow –gone. And there was something else…

An impression of Rukia's silhouette in his mind.

But, it must have been a hallucination. All that remained was this noisy, afro-headed shinigami blathering unintelligibly nearby.

"Hey, the Hollow… did you take it down?"

The Shinigami stared stupidly at Ichigo. But, at least he had shut up.

"Ah, not myself… No. But, yes… I did cut the Hollow's mask!" He brightened up, and grinned. "A wonderful move, if I do say so myself. Perfect timing and…"

Ichigo rolled his eyes and tuned out the stream of self-commendation.

When the Shinigami turned around from executing a play-by-play of his most brilliant move, he found himself alone with the chirping crickets.

"Ho! He left without a word! I was just going to tell him about that girl… or rabbit. Rabbit-Girl?" He scratched his chin, musing on the question. "There's some serious shit going on here."

oooOooo

Ichigo walked quickly down the streets, the rabbit in his arms. It appeared to be unhurt. The Hollow hadn't made dinner out of the both of them after all.

Dinner!

Ichigo checked the watch on his wrist and swore.

_I'm late for dinner!_

Ichigo broke out into a run for home. The Hollow wasn't the only one who had missed dinnertime.

* * *

Author's Note: Ichigo's got bad timing for once. Dinner wasn't the only thing that he missed. But, he doesn't know that… 

Zero-Vision –Giving Ichigo a hard time is too fun to resist.

Syneiam –Yes, those little things were unavoidable. Hope that the new scenes were not within prediction!

Sousui/Seaplue –Oh, I've been called Mochi Rabbit-chan! –grins..- I'm glad you enjoyed that chapter.

Umi Kanshisha –Wish that this double update could have been released earlier for your birthday!

september –I hear and obey the call to update.

Procrastinator-starting2moro –Ah, the ownership of Rabbit Rukia.. there's going to be a chapter addressing that issue in the future! ;)

inugrlluvsanime –Ah, Rukia… crossed the line from being 'difficult' to 'evil'. Have no idea where that came from! –looks innocent!-

SHiNiGAMiLENNE –Cliffhanger? Haha. If I were truly cruel, I would have left this chapter 'til next week! ;)

Kijarat –The boats thing… Heh. That was just me drawing a blank on how to describe really huge shoes.

LadieAnimeFreek –Ichigo in a rocking chair, knitting? Aah, the mental image! –Dies!-

kittyblah –Rukia –ability to remain cute even while torturing Ichigo! ;)


	9. Chapter 8: Pet Therapy

Disclaimer: All Bleach characters belong to Kubo Tite.

**Rukia: My Life As A Rabbit**

**Chapter Eight –Pet Therapy**

_Rukia: Ichigo should be paying me for providing pet therapy service.  
_

_

* * *

_

"Son, I'm a physician. Not a vet! I can't tell you what's wrong with your rabbit," Kurosaki Isshin said in reply to his son's request for him to start practicing his medicine skills on the family pet.

Isshin hadn't seen that look on his firstborn's face in a long time. Perhaps not since the day his son had been told that Daddy couldn't fix the right hand limb back on his Luke Skywalker action figure.

He was really getting attached to that rabbit.

oooOooo

Ichigo trudged upstairs, carrying the unmoving rabbit to his room.

"Onii-chan, I prepared your dinner tray…"

"It's fine, Yuzu. I'm not hungry."

Yuzu watched as her brother set the rabbit down on the pile of blankets that had become the pet's 'burrow' since the first night he had brought it home. To her surprise, her brother plucked out a familiar object from the folds of dark-blue material and handed it to her.

"My bunny bedroom slipper!" Yuzu exclaimed.

Ichigo gave his little sister a wry grin. "I think the stupid rabbit must have bunny-napped your slipper when it was looking for a friend."

Yuzu blinked. Was her brother really feeling alright today?

Then, the girl gave Ichigo a sunny smile and handed the formerly lost slipper back to him. "Onii-chan, please leave it there so it can keep the rabbit company –if she feels lonely."

Ichigo had been exceptionally defensive when their father had questioned him on his tardiness -giving ambiguous replies to the barrage of inquiries.

Yuzu knew her brother kept secrets from them. But, he had yelled often enough that it was perfectly normal behavior for people his age, so would they all kindly leave him alone?

Yuzu let her brother keep his secrets, and she didn't ask him about today.

oooOooo

It was late in the night. And everyone was tucked snugly between warm sheets that kept the chilly air out. The rabbit twitched fitfully in its sleep. Then at last, Rukia stirred in the blankets.

The long slumber had stolen the incidents in the last few hours away from her. Now, they returned –leaving her wondering if she had not just dreamt it all in her sleep.

_I was a rabbit… I was a girl again… _

That's right! She had managed to return to her human-form. If only for a few precious seconds… Did this mean she had a choice in the matter? Was this something she could do at will?

Perhaps this was similar to Yoruichi's ability to switch from one form to another. She wouldn't be surprised. Urahara had a hand in her current state of affairs after all.

What sort of product was the shopkeeper pawning? Turning customers into furry creatures –lawsuits had developed over smaller matters than this.

Rukia sat back with a soft thump, lost in thought. She pulled one of her velvet ears down, absently combing it with her paws. It was a habit she had picked up unconsciously.

She was confused. It wasn't that she didn't want to return to her human-form. But, really -life was simpler as a rabbit.

As a shinigami on duty in a _gigai_, she was constantly aware that she truly and rightfully belonged to Soul Society. She had to fight every moment she began to think of the material world too fondly as home.

Now, she didn't have to think about 'staying and leaving'. That wasn't such a priority anymore when you suddenly sprout two long ears and a bob-tail. As a rabbit, her place was with him. And was that so bad?

Maybe he even needed her in this form more than in her other. Ichigo knew she knew about the Hollow within him. But, it seemed that was all he was willing to disclose. The rest, he was determined to keep to himself.

Rukia had thought they made a good team together. But, now her fellow comrade seemed to resent her finding out anything more about himself –his _other self_.

She was just realizing how much he kept tightly locked away from her knowledge. The first time she had witnessed his fight for dominance over his own body –she had been shocked. How could she not have known before?

He had never allowed her to see this.

The empty and drained look in his eyes, right before his face began to twist into a painful grimace –as if under torture from an invisible force.

The boy had stumbled over to the window, breathing ragged as he slumped to the floor. His head pressed painfully against the wall, and she had only been able to watch him silently.

There was a part of Rukia that was so, so angry that he wouldn't share this with her before –that she was witnessing this only because he didn't know she was the rabbit at his feet.

"You standing guard over me?" He let out a dry chuckle. "I've got a monster in me. Aren't you afraid that you'll be eaten alive?"

He picked her up then and held her. Like a sick child would hold a toy –seeking comfort in some way from a horror he could not understand.

His voice was toneless. "I can feel him devouring me from the inside."

A mocking smile curved across his lips. "But, I don't think his tastes run your way. He wants what all Hollow's want –souls rich in _reiatsu_."

He shivered. All traces of the sardonic smile gone. As if speaking of its wants and desires brought the nightmare closer to surface.

"It's a good thing Rukia isn't around. Maybe it's best that she doesn't come back soon."

She had stiffened in his arms upon hearing this.

He added softly, "Or ever."

oooOooo

The next morning, Ichigo woke up to find the rabbit curled up right next to him. He slung his school bag over his shoulder and hesitated uneasily. He stared at the rabbit. In his mind, a replay of how close the Hollow had come to snapping her up in its jaws made him stop.

Then, cursing himself for being a fool. He grabbed the bunny and stuffed her into the carrier from the pet shop.

He tried not to think of what he was doing. He just knew he was going to have a lot of explaining to do when he saw Ochi-sensei.

* * *

Author's Note: This story is taking longer than I expected. I've finished the drafts for 2 other fics last week. ;) I may put a new fic up soon and run them side by side –rotating between 2 fics will give me more breathing space, especially since the other is 90 percent complete. 

Just a little something… Darth Vader did lop off Luke Skywalker's right arm from the elbow down. Ichigo was most likely doing his own version of the scene on the unfortunate figurine. ;)

grandmaster p –Hope for Rukia! She's not a lost cause. But, maybe I've made Ichigo too blur to the truth (right smack under his nose…)

Syneiam –Ichigo's reputation is going to get thrashed in the next chapter. That's why he's not going to think about it. (or so he says..)

seal-chan –Thanks for adding me to your alerts! I'm glad you want to go on reading.

Elizabeth D. O'Connell –Can you believe I had to collect any info I could get my hands on about that afro dude? Haha. Never thought I would have to do it.

Procrastinator-starting2moro –Wow, 2 reviews? Thank you. The image of Rukia in Ichigo's hood was taken from the time my campmate stuffed the resident kitten in his hood too. That was a real huge success with the females I tell ya!

Seaplue –I'm so happy you enjoyed it!

Umi Kanshisha –Haha. Your version of the 'Moment of Truth' is great! You've really got Bleach on the mind if you start seeing Urahara in the faces of band members!

Zero-Vision –The WAFF force? Now, that's a term I'd love to use sometime.

flOofymikO –Thanks for following this story so far. And you're even thinking ahead. I'll try hard to live up to expectations.

kittyblah –I am Rukia obsessed. Don't get many cool female characters like her often. Share the love!

LadieAnimeFreek –Rukia isn't as 'stuck' in her current form as she thinks! ;)

SHiNiGAMiLENNE –Yes, he totally missed it. The hero has bad timing for once.


	10. Chapter 9: Claiming Ownership

Disclaimer: All Bleach characters belong to Kubo Tite.

**Rukia: My Life As A Rabbit**

**Chapter Nine –Claiming Ownership**

_Rukia: I swear I will bite Asano's fingers off if he tries to make me eat his homework again. The moron better not make another attempt to force-feed me his incomplete assignment just so he can give sensei some lame alibi._

_

* * *

_

Ochi-sensei looked up from the class register as someone coughed in the manner that served more to announce a presence than any wish to clear a throat. Kurosaki Ichigo had a sheepish look on his face. The class teacher immediately saw what he had in his arms.

"Oh… not again, Kurosaki-kun. I thought we resolved this issue already."

"_Sensei_, I promise you she'll behave. You won't even notice-"

She thought that she'd only hear of such a case in the primary school. Now here stands a boy who couldn't leave his pet bunny at home, exactly like the younger pupils who dragged their ragged soft toys all over the place. Ochi-sensei sighed. "I'm sorry. But, you understand I can't accept your vouch for the good conduct of your pet. There's no possible way you can control…"

Rukia had been watching the exchange quietly from Ichigo's arms. Now, she wriggled free and hopped neatly onto the teacher's table.

_Move aside, Ichigo! And let the expert handle this._

Rukia did what she did best as a fluffy rabbit. She gazed up at the surprised teacher with her dark purplish-blue eyes, woffled her nose softly, and tilted her head so her long-ears flopped endearingly to the side. In short, Rukia looked cute.

"…But, I guess it can be our class secret." Ochi-sensei said at last. "So long as it doesn't distract the class."

Then, the teacher reached over to give the irresistible bunny a light pat on the head. "I have to say… she is very adorable."

Ichigo stared. Ochi-sensei must have a weak spot for bunnies. Because rabbits weren't capable of being… _manipulative. _Were they?

oooOooo

Asano Keigo grabbed the orange haired boy by his collar, and lamented wretchedly. "Ichigooo… how could you betray me this way? You and Mizuiro just leaving me behind –you have to tell your ol' friend how you became so popular with the girls!"

Ichigo rolled his eyes and tried to pry Asano's hands away. It's not like he had intended to set the bunny up as female-bait, but a whole flock of them had descended on his desk the moment the rabbit was in sight.

"Kurosaki-san, is she really yours?" asked one of his smitten classmates, waiting for her turn to cradle the bunny.

Keigo cried out dramatically, "Ichigoo… I feel so looonelyy!"

Ichigo ignored him, and replied, "Aa. She's mine. Just a stray I picked up."

Rukia sniffed haughtily –not that anyone noticed since they thought the bunny had just woffled its nose. They squealed in delight and Rukia was given a squeezing-hug.

_What nonsense! A Kuchiki belongs to no one. Beholden to none –our free spirits…_

Suddenly, Rukia's attentions to her adoring fan girls wavered. Her eyes narrowed as a girl at the classroom doorway peeked in and waved at Ichigo, smiling brightly.

_It's that nuisance again. Can't she stay in her own class –why does she have to come here?_

Mikimoto Shinju from the class next door flipped her hair, and let it slide like a silky waterfall across her shoulders before Ichigo. Rukia thought she didn't need anyone to answer her last question after all.

As Ichigo returned her greeting, Rukia thought sourly, _Doesn't the teacher realize there's a student who's not supposed to be in here?_

Then Rukia watched indignantly as Mikimoto reached over and took the empty chair next to the spiky haired youth. _That's my seat! Just because I'm absent in school, you think you can start moving in on my territory?_

The object of Rukia's aggravation gave a tinkling laugh at something Ichigo said. Rukia fumed. _Men! You can't leave them alone for a day._

"Oh, whatever happened to your hands?" Mikimoto exclaimed when she spotted the band aids on Ichigo.

She picked Ichigo's bandaged fingers up, and suddenly found herself face to face with a seething rabbit. Startled, she dropped his hand immediately.

_Hands off, Mikimoto! He's mine._

To make sure she got her point across, Rukia put one dainty foot on Ichigo's hand lying on the desk.

Ichigo's classmates watched the scene, highly amused by it all.

"Aww… isn't that sweet?"

"Whoo… I've heard of possessive pets. But, I didn't think rabbits were like that!"

"Hey, isn't this like the case where the _pet _ownsthe master"

Ichigo scowled and refrained from replying to that last comment. He quickly scooped the rabbit up and edged it further away from Mikimoto.

A precaution taken just incase it decided to lunge forward and give the girl's well-manicured fingers a few nips.

oooOooo

After school, Ichigo stopped by at Urahara's store. The entrance was shut, and the tenants of the shop were still 'away on vacation'. Ichigo had given up banging on the metal folding-gate after a passer-by had stopped and helpfully offered to read the huge message spray-painted across the gate.

Yes, he knew what it said. He wasn't blind. He wasn't illiterate either.

He just had to confirm this sneaking suspicion he had that the lot of them weren't hiding away in there, maybe in that huge underground training space, pretending to be deaf every time he came calling –for reasons unknown.

Finally, he tore of a sheet of paper and wrote a message. Then, note in hand, the boy paused and stared long at the graffiti splashed boldly across the gate. Wryly, he wondered what on earth the neighbours thought of the shopkeepers' unusual style of informing customers about his holiday.

Ichigo was most definitely not going to pin his message up on _that_. The police might come to the wrong conclusion and think he had something to do with the sudden disappearance of the tenants.

The boy slipped the note under the gate and walked on home.

oooOooo

Rukia could feel the source of her _reiatsu_ again. Before facing the Hollow and her abrupt release of the Demon Arts, she hadn't been able to grasp even a hint of it.

Shinigami's were more conscious of their soul's framework –they had a better impression of the subtle composites that gave form to a soul. Consuming Urahara's unidentified pill made her feel as if she had been thrown into a blender and stepped out again all mismatched.

Now, she could pinpoint the source she reached for every time she used her Demon Arts. Alright, she didn't have to admit to anyone that it was embarrassingly drained just from one _Hadou_ spell. But, she thought if she had something to focus on, it was possible… just possible that she could pull the entire jumbled puzzle together again.

She was going to hazard that her attempt wouldn't leave her scrambled beyond salvation. It's really not that she wanted to be stuck in this rabbit form forever. But, please, do take a look at Komamura _taichou _of the Seventh Division!

Rukia thought of her own body with a larger than life rabbit head perched on top.

She shuddered. She could understand why the captain had first chosen to walk around with a wooden bucket over his head.

_No personal offence to Komamura taichou, but I'd rather be a rabbit than that any day!_

oooOooo

When Rukia guessed that the Kurosaki's were fast asleep for the night, she moved quietly to the landing just outside Ichigo's room.

_Well, if I mutate beyond Rabbit…beyond Rukia, at least I won't give Ichigo a vision of a living nightmare. However tempting that sounds. _

The rabbit took a breath and plunged into the very foundations of her soul. She traced her path to the source of her _reiatsu. _

Rukia reached out for it.

­­­­­­­­­­­­

* * *

Author's Note: Will Rukia finally walk back into Ichigo's room in her human form? Small cliffhanger is just there for fun –humor me. Since there may or may not be any more chances for me to throw one in. ;) 

Oh, the evilness of me. Have a good weekend!

grandmaster p –Haha! Feel free to swear. I think the 'fiction police' won't close in on you. I was doing plenty of it this week. The net was down since last week Saturday. No Bleach fix until this moment.

Syneiam –Yes, Rukia may be in denial. But, she's not the sort to sit on her bunny-ass and do nothing about her little situation either.

LadieAnimeFreek –I'm sorry for 'toying' with you. ;) But, you probably saw this chapter coming after a comment like that.

SHiNiGAMiLENNE –The Hollow-Ichigo probably jumped in the chapter because I was writing my new fic. ;) And Darth Vader was there because… my older sibling never let me play 'Luke Skywalker'.

Sousui/Seaplue –Sorry about the sad chapter. Hope this one makes you laugh again.

inugrlluvsanime –I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. Was nervous about the flashback part dropping out of the blue.

Chen0412 –Aah! You liked the fight-scene? I'm so happy. Can you believe I read the whole section on lizards in the encyclopedia? Then I realized that Ichigo was fighting a Hollow not a glorified Iguana and stopped trying to incorporate 'lizard biological facts' into the poor chapter.

chibi-kyuubi –Hope you will continue reading this fic too!

Umi Kanshisha –Entertaining mental images indeed! Did you just call Urahara's walking stick a _pimp cane_? OMG. Haha!

Zero-Vision –Rukia in rabbit form. She must be one of the few characters that can actually be easily written into a bunny.

flOofymikO –His increased attachment. Rabbit Rukia knows it too. We'll see more on that in the next chapter. ;)

lady milktea –I hear and obey your 'onegai' to update!

kittyblah –If you've thought of that awkward moment.. maybe you'll see it soon, hmm?

Procrastinator-starting2moro –I don't consider your reviews spam at all. Each one is much adored and read (more like pored over…) with ridiculously happy smiles. And kitten in the hood –you can try it. But, make sure it isn't afraid of heights before you plop it on your shoulder. ;) You can imagine the damage..


	11. Chapter 10: Life is but a dream

Disclaimer: All Bleach characters belong to Kubo Tite.

**Rukia: My Life As A Rabbit**

**Chapter 10 –Life Is But A Dream**

_Rukia: In the moments between waking and dreaming –sometimes I wonder if my life as a rabbit wasn't just some wild fantasy of my imagination. Then, I open my eyes and realize the truth…_

_

* * *

_

In the night, Rukia crouched on the floorboard of the darkened landing. Her eyes tightly shut –for one heartbeat… two... Then, the shinigami released the breath she had been holding and quickly looked down to check on herself –apprehensive of what she would see.

Through the dimness, she could faintly make out her own hand pressed to the floor. Rukia snatched it up and silently rejoiced her own success. Self-congratulations all around! Clever me.

Rukia held her hands out before her and tentatively flexed her digits in delight. Then, she fastidiously adjusted the collar of her school uniform and reached down to smooth her palms out on her skirt.

_I definitely miss having hands like these!_

The girl was so self-absorbed in the rediscovery of her _gigai_ form that she never noticed the soft swish of the door being pulled open behind her. The weak light from the open window of Ichigo's room spread out to dimly illuminate the hallway.

It took a few seconds for the drowsy Ichigo to register that there was a person standing right outside his door, and then it took another few heartbeats for him to realize just who he was looking at.

Ichigo and Rukia stared at each other –eyes wide in surprise.

Then, they both snapped out of astonishment and moved on to immediate commotion.

"What are you doing here in the middle of the night?"

"What do you think _you're_ doing? You nearly gave me a heart attack –suddenly appearing out of nowhere like that!"

"Where on earth have you- !"

Ichigo stopped, listened nervously for the sounds of his family members waking up, and then continued in a lower voice.

The boy hissed indignantly, "Where the hell have you been, huh? Disappearing from the face of earth without a single word! Would it have killed you to take a single second to inform me before you wandered off to…to... Yeah, where did you go?"

Rukia watched Ichigo go off on his nonstop tirade without a word. Usually, she would have cut in to give one of her acerbic comments by now. But, it had been quite some time since she had the happy ability to give voice to her opinions.

When he finally paused expectantly in his outburst, Rukia merely offered a crooked smile in reply. It shouldn't have been enough as an answer to all his questions, but somehow, it pacified the exasperated boy.

Ichigo looked down at the girl with the faint smile on her face and gave a sigh of defeat. He couldn't understand why she was being so quiet. Where were the flying-kicks and skinny elbows geared up to bloody his nose?

Well, if she was going to be secretive about what she had been up to recently, that was fine –for now. But, don't think he was just going to let her off so easily. He would get his questions damn well answered later.

Then, a slight smile traced his own features as he said, "I've got a surprise for you. Guess what? We have a pet."

He never noticed Rukia's eyes widening. Ichigo pulled her to his room by her wrist.

"You've really missed out on a lot of things. Come on; meet the new member of this household. She's a real…"

"Ichigo…" Rukia interrupted in a soft voice. But he didn't hear her.

The boy carefully nudged the pile of blankets on the floor, waiting for a rabbit to hop out –possibly pounce out with teeth ready to give his invading toe a reprimanding bite for waking her up in the middle of the night.

He muttered, "Hey, where did the furball run off to?"

Ichigo bent down and peered under his bed. "She loves to hide sometimes…"

Rukia felt a tugging in her heart at the sight of Ichigo looking for the missing rabbit that could never possibly be found. How could the rabbit be present –when Rukia was here.

She wished Ichigo would stop looking for her. Rukia gritted her teeth as the wrenching feeling in her heart grew fiercer. She pressed a palm to her chest in pain.

The shinigami quickly stumbled out of Ichigo's room –unseen since his back was turned to her. Rukia closed her eyes and collapsed to the floor.

Ichigo looked up and realized that the petite girl was gone. She was here just a moment ago. Brows knitted together in confusion, he called out uncertainly, "Rukia?"

The room was empty.

In the landing outside, Rukia opened her eyes, and got back to her feet as a rabbit once more.

Ichigo pushed open his door. "Hey!" he called out anxiously into the hallway, missing the rabbit that quietly slipped unnoticed past his ankles. "Hey, Rukia!"

He peered around in the darkened landing and turned when he heard the click of a door opening. A sleepy Yuzu looked out. "_Onii-chan_, what's wrong? Did you have a bad dream?"

Ichigo stood still for a moment and put his head in his palms.

_A dream? A dream…It was just a dream._

He scrubbed his eyes shortly. "You're right, Yuzu. It's nothing… just a nightmare." When his sister didn't budge from the doorway, Ichigo looked up and ordered in a voice slightly tinged with anger, "It's very late. Go back to bed.."

Yuzu gave her brother one last worried look. "_Oyasumi, Onii-chan," _she said softly.

Ichigo slumped onto his bed, hands pressed feverishly over his eyes. He turned on his side and stared blankly at the 'burrow' of blankets. Ichigo's eyes fell on the rabbit nestled between the folds of material. Her eyes glittered faintly back at him in the darkness.

The boy didn't even utter a single word. But, in a sudden tempered move that made the rabbit recoil, Ichigo's fingers clenched bitterly into his pillow and he flung it forcefully across the room at the empty _futon _closet.

_Damn you, Rukia! Where the hell have you gone?_

_

* * *

_

Author's Note: Feel like knocking my head off because of this chapter? ;) Let me know.. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Have a good weekend!

grandmaster p –Wow.. I don't think anyone has ever held back from swearing at me. (Not that I go around inducing swearing feelings..) The sentiment is very sweet:beams:

kittyblah –Tried to control the killer Fluff and Sap. But, they will be attempting to break free many more times to come. ;)

Umi Kanshisha –Urahara doesn't appear (yet..) but when he does, I have no idea what I'm going to do with him now that you've put very strange images of emo songs and pimp canes in the same picture.

ShinigamiLenne –Rukia's just defending her –coughs!- property. Taking her seat isn't a very good idea. ;)

Zero-Vision –Jealous bunnies, a thing to be feared -especially when they have no reservations about _biting_.

inugrlluvsanime –Speaking of necessary. Rukia turning back to rabbit form in this chapter would be quite uncalled for. I'm going to get knocked on the head for doing this. ;)

roxy-san –Thank you for giving me the feedback that those lines worked! But, you know every time there's a cliffhanger, the next chapter follows pretty quickly. I want to know how it works out too. ;P

Ahria –I'm glad you're having fun. This is my tribute to the genius Kubo Tite for his masterpiece.

seal-chan –It is as I feared. I miss Rukia (in non-rabbit form) too. After reading your review I was afraid that this would be a mistake.

Syneiam –"Ichigo is mine.." You've picked out the very line that made me hover over the delete button for the longest time. Rukia would never say that out loud. But I guess it's okay since no one can hear her now.

flOofymikO –Updating soon.. so I'm not evil anymore, right? The mystery of Komamura –that one ain't gonna be solved here though..

MultipleCyrosis –It was all due to animal instincts. :)

Procrastinator-starting2moro –Yes, Rukia putting her foot down. I bet Ichigo's hand was twitching uncontrollably at that!

ButaNdINg –I'll be trying my best all the way! Hope you enjoyed this chapter too.


	12. Chapter 11: Logic & Reason

Disclaimer: All Bleach characters belong to Kubo Tite.

**Rukia: My Life As A Rabbit**

**Chapter Eleven –Application of Logic and Reason**

_Rukia: I'm so sorry, Ichigo…_

_

* * *

_

The rabbit stared at its reflection in the full-length mirror. It was the perfect height for the tall boy lounging on the bed. But, Rukia's reflection only took up a corner of it –the last few inches at the bottom, her mind told her wryly. There was something sad about Rukia's eyes today.

Like routine, she idly tugged down her soft black ears and began combing them with her paws. Ichigo watched her antics from his bed. Sometimes, he found her more interesting than his manga –especially when she hopped around to admire her own tail. The boy snorted.

Ichigo lowered his manga and called out lazily, "In love with your reflection much?"

The boy really wasn't expecting a reply of any sort. But, what he didn't know was that the rabbit was fully capable of understanding human speech –and even answering. Albeit, in her own silent way.

Rukia shot a sarcastic look at the boy reflected in the mirror. _Why not? I've never been cuter! _

Ichigo studied her. "You still don't have a name. How about _Narcissus_?" He gave her a rare smile, "Hey, Narcissus –get away from there. Don't you know you get uglier the more you stare at your own reflection?"

Rukia gave him an offended look. But, she stopped her preening. It wasn't fun when someone was making fun of you about it.

The rabbit hopped off –determined to find something of his to chew.

oooOooo

The manga slipped from Ichigo's hands and fell with a soft thump to the floorboards. The boy stretched out on the bed didn't make a move to retrieve it. Ichigo's mind was far away –replaying the events of his dream restlessly. All he could do was lie in bed and stare at the ceiling.

Rukia. Rukia. Did he have it so bad that he was _hallucinating_ visions of Rukia just because it had been a few days since he last saw her?

And it wasn't even the first time either, he told himself crossly.

A vague impression of her silhouette against the evening sky. Nothing more than an obscure feeling in the haze of his memory. Could he say for sure that he had seen Rukia? He wasn't absolutely certain, was he? Well, getting bitten by poisonous beasts would do that to you.

Perhaps his shadow of Rukia then had merely been a side-effect from that anesthetic administered by the resident Hollow.

And yet, there was something… Ichigo was sure of it, something that did not fit in the entire picture. He was overlooking some detail.

But, then again, it could be that he was thinking too much. It wasn't good to do that. Nowadays that was a potentially fatal mistake.

Hearing voices, hallucinating… His mind was playing cruel tricks on him.

Ichigo walked over to the rabbit snuffling at his bookshelves. The bunny paused and returned his stare with large, dark eyes.

Ichigo had warily placed his CD collection on the higher shelf out of reach. Having a rabbit that knocked things down (whenever he didn't pay enough attention to her) and happily chewed on CD's was a hassle at times. But, he was glad that she appeared perfectly unscathed by her meeting with the reptilian nightmare which had fully intended to make a meal out of her that evening.

Ichigo's fingers froze a hairsbreadth from her.

_Hollows don't eat rabbits –no matter that they look like monsters that would devour every moving thing in the path. _

Ichigo replayed the scene in his mind again. The Hollow's head snaking out after him. Sweeping his zanpakutou back in preparation, only to have the monster suddenly twist back and dart after the rabbit.

_Hollows don't abandon high density souls to go after defenseless bunnies. _

Rewind. Replay.

Ichigo's brain made a few intelligent connections and gave the voices that screamed about rationality a kick in the ass. Ever since Rukia had alighted in his room, she had given his perception of logic and reason a sharp twist on the head.

The line between possible and impossible was no longer clearly defined. Ichigo's eyes widened. He stared at the rabbit with dawning horror.

His throat had gone very dry. He said in an incredulous voice, "Rukia…"

Then louder and with more conviction, he picked the rabbit up and brought it face to face with him. "_Kami-sama! _Is that you in there, Rukia?"

_Oh, your brilliance astounds me, Ichigo! Do you speak "rabbit" perhaps –no? I didn't think so. But, maybe you expect me to waggle my ears in sign language? Or send a morse code with my tail?_

Ichigo's eyes looked a bit wild. Rukia wished he would put her down. It wasn't pleasant to be shaken like that. She would most _generously _give him 3 seconds before she sank her teeth into his finger as a wake-up call.

"How did this happen?" the boy said at last. Then he set her down on the floor, stood up and held his hands, palms out, towards her. "Stay! Stay right here!" he ordered, towering over her from above.

Rukia gave him a very evil look. _Do I look like a nice doggie to you now?_

Ichigo slammed his bedroom door open and ran down to the clinic, socked feet sliding crazily across the floorboards. The noises that floated up the hallway suggested that Ichigo was crashing into a few walls on his way there.

Rukia sat down with a soft thump.

_Finally –it hits him on the head…_

oooOooo

A blur of Ichigo's profile zoomed past Karin in the clinic's reception hall. The younger girl scowled in annoyance as she clutched her paperwork. "You're causing a draft, Ichi-_nii_! _Baka!"_

Her brother never heard her challenge to his intelligence. He skidded to a stop at the consulting room, seizing the doorknob. The boy yanked the door open without knocking. Ichigo yelled, "Dad!"

Kurosaki Isshin turned around in surprise at the sound of his son's voice.

The doctor was in.

* * *

Author's Note: I've been waiting a long time for this moment to come. Much thanks to everyone who followed the story up until now. I love reading your comments –thanks for letting me know your thoughts on this fic! 

MultipleCyrosis –I'm glad you had fun with the last scene. Hope you'll enjoy the coming antics.

Sousui/Seaplue –The rare angst creeping in. Now that he's had his chance to be moody –I'll be throwing him down the misfortune chute again.

Syneiam –Rukia's gigai.. Urahara has loads of explaining to do. Should he ever return from 'vacation' that is..

rukiaprincess –Ichigo's IQ level took a dip because evil me didn't want him to figure it out so fast. I'm happy you gave this fic a chance –despite the weird summary!

Umi Kanshisha –I hope my mail answered your questions. Yes, poor Ichigo. He's really going to feel that in the coming chapter. ;)

grandmaster p –I hear your calls to update, and obey.

drunkdragon –I'll be working hard to wrap this fic up the best I can!

Procrastinator-starting2moro –I'm glad you enjoyed it. Hope you liked this chapter too.

ShinigamiLenne –Feel like knocking Ichigo's head off too? Oo.. Heh, he'll be screaming about being a victim in this whole scenario. And yes, in a way, Rukia did turn herself back to rabbit form on purpose.

lady milktea –I'm glad you're enjoying this to the point of wanting to wring me neck for doing that! ;)

Ahria –Yes, we're getting closer to the final scene now.

inugrlluvsanime –Gosh.. I just hope the next chapter will make up for that!

cokeboi –I'm glad you enjoyed the fic.

GryphonWonder14 –It's not going to be easy for.. Ichigo. ;)

kittyblah –I could have had her give Ichigo a head butt for throwing things at her closet? ;)


	13. Chapter 12: The Infinite Rabbit Theorem

Disclaimer: All Bleach characters belong to Kubo Tite.

**Rukia: My Life As A Rabbit**

**Chapter Twelve –The Infinite Rabbit Theorem**

_Rukia: Ichigo thinks that we should runaway and join the circus. After all, I can perform astounding feats as a rabbit._

_

* * *

_

The door to the consulting room slammed open so hard it bounced off the wall with a resounding bang. The doctor and his two elderly patients jumped in surprise. They stared at the boy who had burst into the room like a whirlwind.

Ichigo's yelled with a note of urgency in his voice, "Dad!"

Kurosaki Isshin took in the panicked state of his son and rapidly said, "Are the girls hurt?"

"No! Yuzu and Karin are just fine!"

"Did the toilet upstairs backup again?" he asked, grimacing slightly.

"No! That's not it!" Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Dad, can I borrow your laptop? I need you to tell me where it is!"

The doctor raised his eyebrows while his patients exchanged a laugh. The elderly patient leaning on a cane chuckled. "Ah, the young are so exuberant!"

Ichigo recognized the two senior citizens in the clinic. According to a highly entertained Karin, the two old geezers were in a running competition to see who could suffer from the highest number of ailments while remaining inches from being declared clinically dead.

The myriad of disorders they brought hobbling into the clinic for their monthly checkups spoke of both creativity and imagination run amok. Either that –or extraordinary paranoia.

The last he heard, old man Takasugi was leading with prolonged coughing, fatigue, and arthritis of the joints. Ichigo glanced at Katsura _jii-san _who was giving the occasional moan of pain from the medic bed. Looks like grandpa Katsura was determined to even the score this month.

Kurosaki Isshin finally said, "From the way you act, I thought the house was on fire! What do you need the laptop for anyway?"

Ichigo tried to quell his impatience. "The rabbit can't hold a pen to write with her paws, but I thought she'd be able to type on the keyboard."

Then, to the boy's relief, he spotted the laptop on the table. He dashed forward and snatched it up. "Just lend this to me for a moment!"

Before the doctor could say another word, his son had zoomed out of the clinic. Kurosaki Isshin blinked rapidly, his lips moving soundlessly as he repeated Ichigo's words to himself.

Katsura said delicately, "I've heard of how smart animals can be, _sensei_. Dogs using telephones to call for help when the owner has a heart attack. Saw it myself on educational TV."

Takasugi nodded amiably. "_Aa._ And monkeys can type the complete works of William Shakespeare. Perhaps your son's rabbit can do the Tale of Genji by our Murasaki Shikibu?"

Katsura snorted. "Taka-san, has that Alzheimer-ridden brain of yours finally malfunctioned? What nonsense is that?"

"Look who's talking, old man. I'm not the one with insomnia and incessant migraine!"

Kurosaki Isshin stared wordlessly at his arguing patients. Outside, Karin rolled her eyes. She knew what the neighbours were going to say when this got out. "_The Kurosaki's –the father is eccentric, but the son is even weirder!"_

oooOooo

_Urahara at fault. Product malfunction. _

Ichigo gawked at the words clumsily keyed in across the Samsung notebook's screen. The boy put his head in his hands and said, "I'm really going mad. This is ridiculous."

His delusional mind had turned Rukia into a rabbit. He was going to be declared a certified nutcase, and then, they would take him away and lock him up with the looney tunes.

Rukia flicked her ears in annoyance. _Hello, Ichigo! Could you snap out of your own personal tragedy and lend me a hand with mine?_

Ichigo frowned and gave her a suspicious look. "Wait a minute. How do I know you're really Rukia? Maybe this is some bizarre trap cooked up the enemy, or you're just some fabrication of my mind." The furrow between his eyebrows deepened as he squinted at her. "_Kami-sama, _my head can really come up with fantastically convincing hallucinations."

_You want me to prove it? Fine. _Rukia delicately placed her paws on the keys again.

_In the second drawer next to your desk, I found a scrapbook of –_

The teen snatched her up and held her away from the laptop, red faced. "Hey, I thought I bribed you to forget about that!"

Rukia held her white bob-tail up haughtily. _You asked for it!_

oooOooo

Ichigo mused, "There must be something the healers in Soul Society can do. But, contacting the Fourth Division for help means your brother will definitely find out about this."

The boy winced as he thought of the worse-case scenario occurring. The rabbit laid back her ears unhappily. Ichigo reached out automatically to give the rabbit a calming pet, but his fingers froze before he reached Rukia's fur. He realized how inappropriate it was now. Ichigo quickly snatched his hand back.

Rukia knew everyone held her older brother as the paragon of a nobleman. In the centuries of his lifetime, his perfect track record had been marred only by two incidents. The first being his marriage to her sister –a mere commoner in the eyes of the aristocratic families. The second –Rukia's adoption into the Kuchiki household.

_And now, if he should ever discover that he is related to a 'rabbit' by adoption –it will be the final straw!_

Ichigo contemplated Kuchiki Byakuya's icy rage and the _Senbonzakura. _The boy groaned. "He'll definitely blame me for this!"

He ruffled his spiky hair anxiously and cracked a wry grin. "You know, we could runaway and join the circus –World's Smartest Performing Rabbit. I bet even Animal Planet would want to make a documentary about you."

Before Rukia could give her opinion about his idea of her performing circus tricks and jumping through flaming hoops –something whizzed in from the open window, sending the curtains flying.

The sudden interference zipped under Ichigo's nose, just barely missing him by a hairsbreadth and ended its trajectory with a twanging thump on the futon closet door across the room.

Ichigo stared wide-eyed at the long bamboo arrow shaft quivering in its unauthorized target. He twitched the corner of his curtain open and tried to see if could spot any medieval sniper hiding out on his neighbour's rooftop.

_Freakin' Hollows from Hueco Mundo!_ Which joker was taking potshots at him with antiquated weaponry?

He stomped over to the nearly fatal projectile and squinted at it. The fletching at the end sported half-feathers. The damned thing should be on display in a national treasure museum –not smartly imbedded to his closet!

Ichigo hadn't planned on inspecting it –he actually felt like snapping it into tiny little pieces. But before he could proceed to act on that whim, he saw the inconspicuous note tied onto the bamboo shaft.

Ichigo undid the string, snatched it up and read the short message addressed to him. Nobody should blame him for totally losing his temper, he thought. There was no reason at all why he should _be_ _understanding_ about someone aiming an obsolete weapon (at him) into his room.

The boy stuffed the note into his pocket and grabbed a very surprised Rukia up into his arms. Ichigo dashed out of the room again, carrying the rabbit with him.

"Urahara-san is back."

oooOooo

Ichigo gave the wooden sliding door a short rap with his knuckles and pulled it open with a loud rasping sound. Urahara Kisuke was already waiting for him inside. The brim of the shopkeeper's striped hat half-shadowed his eyes, but Ichigo could clearly see the familiar mischievous smile on his lips.

"_Irrashai_, Kurosaki-san. Have you come to see me about some business?"

Ichigo kicked off his shoes at the _genkan_ and stepped up from the entryway. He hadn't come for business at all. He imagined that a lawsuit would be closer to home.

* * *

Author's Note: Have I misled you into thinking that Isshin would actually do something more than lend his laptop out? My apologies! ;)

There really is an **infinite monkey theorem** which states that a monkey hitting keys at random on a typewriter keyboard for an infinite time will almost surely eventually type the collected works of William Shakespeare, if not every single piece of writing that has ever, and will ever be written. (Ref. Wikipedia)

_Irrashai _(Welcome), _Genkan_ (Area used to remove shoes)

cokeboi –Ichigo probably got a bigger shock from nearly having his nose shish kebab-ed by Urahara's arrow.

ShinigamiLenne –Forgive me for making our _hero _a real baka in this story. He's no Sherlock Holmes here. ;)

Umi Kanshisha – "But if she's not with you, then . . ." (insert dawning horror.) –laughs!- I'm working on the meeting with Urahara. Ichigo would probably tease Rukia more if there wasn't tiny part of him which is really afraid of the consequences to pay for if Kuchiki Byakuya finds out about this.

Tanuuki –I'll be working hard to keep it interesting 'til the very end.

Ahria –I'm glad he's figuring it out too. I can finally let the caged plot bunnies out.

rukiaprincess –I'm really happy you enjoyed that chapter. I hope I can live up to your expectations. You can be sure I'll try my best!

Procrastinator-starting2moro –No need to apologize for that! I should really thank you for taking the time so often to let me know what you think after the chapter! And now you know just 'how much help' Isshin was to the situation. ;)

Lostraius –All the bad-ass is credited to the Maestro Kubo Tite for his wonderful characters! And yes, I have a pet rabbit who is probably in Soul Society now. Rabbit Rukia's characteristics come from her. ;)

inugrlluvsanime –I'm glad you enjoyed it. And hey, it's really okay. I'm just happy that you're still with me all the way up to now.

grandmaster p –Urahara has appeared to taunt Ichigo for more reactions. Keeping up the Ichigo-baiting!


	14. Chapter 13: Cogito ergo sum

Disclaimer: All Bleach characters belong to Kubo Tite.

**Rukia: My Life As A Rabbit**

**Chapter Thirteen –Cogito ergo sum**

_Rukia: Urahara, you greedy salesman! You've got a lot to answer for. You see if I don't report you to Consumers International!_

_

* * *

_

If Urahara Kisuke thought there was something strange about Ichigo cradling a rabbit in his arms, he didn't show it. With one hand on his hip, encased in an archer's glove, and the other hand wrapped around a Japanese bow taller than him –the shopkeeper in fact appeared to be posing.

Well, that eliminated Ishida from Ichigo's suspect list. The idea of the Quincy using him as Shinigami target practice had crossed his mind earlier. He carefully set the rabbit on the ground. Before the shopkeeper knew it, Ichigo had both hands fisted in his collar and was successfully giving the taller man a good shaking.

"C-Calm down, Kurosaki-san! Let's talk about this like rational men." Urahara tried not to bite down on his own tongue as he spoke. He had dropped the long bow to keep his hat on.

"Like _rational _men, you say? What's so _rational _about you shooting such a freakin' large arrow at my head, huh?" Ichigo screamed into his face. The boy let him go –not because he was finished with expressing his annoyance, but so the shopkeeper could begin explaining himself.

"Surely there was no need for such violence? After all I've done for you too.." The man feigned a hurt look so badly that Ichigo could only take it as a mockery to his temper. "You've totally misunderstood me. I was just trying to communicate!"

The boy gave him a sarcastic look. "Communication –with a message on an arrow. Who do you think you're playing –Robin Hood? What's with all the uncivilized methods? Look at the paint on your front gate. It looks like a loan-shark threat!"

Urahara merely met the outburst with a chuckle. The shopkeeper expertly flipped open his folding fan and hid his mischievous smile behind it. "_Araa_, Kurosaki-san… You've got no sense of humor!" he teased. "_Kyudo_ is excellent for spiritual development. You should be aware of that –being the friend of a Quincy Archer."

Ichigo tried to quell his first impulse to pound the older man. He wished he hadn't left the long arrow embedded to his closet. It would've been so convenient to have it at hand now; so he could stick it into the idiotic shopkeeper.

The boy quashed his temper and said, "Sandal-hat man, I need your help. It's about Rukia…"

oooOooo

"Don't worry, Kuchiki-dono! The shopkeeper will fix this," Tessai said confidently.

Somehow the muscular shop-assistant addressing the little rabbit with an honorific to her name made Ichigo want to crack up. He held back from doing so.

Urahara bent down to the rabbit on the floor. Rukia wasn't pleased because the gesture seemed to emphasize her current size to the room. She could already see that smirk twitching on Ichigo's lips even though he held up a hand to hide it. _The fool._

The shopkeeper extended a solicitous hand to the rabbit. "Ah, Kuchiki-san… You must be very happy with your new form. I'm aware you're famously fond of Chappy the ra–! Oww! Oww! _Leggo off my hand, Kuchikii-sann!_"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I forget to mention that she bites?" Ichigo said with a wicked look on his face.

Rukia laid back her ears and gave him a look that could clearly be interpreted as; You want to be next, smart-ass? Ichigo shut his mouth.

Urahara held out his hands in the universal gesture used for pacifying small creatures. "It's okay, Kuchiki-san. I'm just going to verify your _reiatsu_."

If the man started to make 'Here Bunny-Bunny!' –sounds, Rukia would do more than bite his fingers off. That was a promise.

She allowed Urahara to place a palm on her head, slightly smoothing her long ears back. Then, there was the feeling of _reiatsu _creeping over her skin. It was distinctively Urahara's. As the probing energy seemed to seep within her, Rukia made to struggle out from under his hand. It was such an invasion of privacy.

"Don't do that, Kuchiki-san." The shopkeeper's unexpectedly stern tone stopped her. The rabbit didn't whimper; but she crouched low to the floor.

Urahara kept his eyes trained on nothing in mid-air. The shopkeeper looked as if he was deep in thought. But, as he finished, his gaze dropped to Rukia and he gave her a sharp, searching stare. "Hmm… _cogito ergo sum_?" he said, under his breath.

"Well? Can you fix it?" Ichigo questioned. The boy had been hovering anxiously by their side.

The shopkeeper released the rabbit. "Looks like she had the framework of her soul rearranged. None of the products Kuchiki-san usually takes could do this. It's something else. You're sure she told you that something malfunc– "

There was a quiet "Oops!" from behind. They all turned as one to the source. The fixated gaze of five pairs of eyes landed on Ururu. Her hands were clasped to her mouth in vague horror.

Her red-haired companion, and more often –bully, said, "I think I can guess what happened here." Jinta took in the guilty look written across the timid girl's face and added, "Oops. You did it again, huh?"

oooOooo

Urahara appeared to have recovered his usual roguish manner. He grabbed Rukia up and thrust the unhappy rabbit to Ichigo's face. "So, do you need me to explain anything again? Okay, Kurosaki-san –give Kuchiki-san here a kiss!"

The red-faced boy jumped back. "W-What? You pulling my leg, sandal-hat? A _k-k-ki…" _Ichigo's body appeared to spasm every time he attempted to speak the dreaded word.

A highly amused black cat lazing by the side was only too happy to play spectator to the ensuing comedy. Shihouin Yoruichi spoke softly in her low voice, "Should Kisuke really be holding Kuchiki-san up by the ears like that?"

The shopkeeper, who was clearly enjoying himself just as much, gave the boy an injured look. "Not just any kiss! Don't you know your fairy tales? The prince gives the frog a kiss and she turns into a princess."

"You've got it backwards, _shouten_!" his shop-assistants chorused.

"Details!" Urahara said, waving it off with a flip of his fan.

Ichigo wasn't merely suspicious of the shopkeeper's intentions. He had a look of utter disbelieve on his face. "What's a k-k…" he stuttered, and started again like a bad engine. "What's _that_ got to do with anything? It can't be that simple. There's got to be your freakin' magic spells or something instead!"

Urahara smiled. "Of course it isn't simple, as you say. You have to think about Rukia's true form –what makes Rukia _Rukia._" Then, he slinged an arm across Ichigo's shoulders and whispered covertly, "And when you do that, please refrain from adding details of your own fantasy, hmm? No matter how much you may wish to." The man winked at Ichigo.

Ichigo's forehead wrinkled in confusion. "Hn? Add _what_?"

The shopkeeper gave him a sneaky look that was completely in contrast with the saintly tone of his voice. "Oh, just little details. Like making Kuchiki-san taller, or..." He coughed and continued delicately, "…more well-endowed, perhaps?"

Ichigo reddened nicely as Urahara patted him on the back. There was a vehement (and unheard) _Hey! _from Rukia.

oooOooo

Urahara took his hands away from Ichigo's forehead, pulling back the fine threads of _reiatsu_ that bridged between them. "That's how you get Rukia out of her rabbit-form. Got that, Kurosaki-san?"

The boy nodded. Urahara made a show of pouting. "I still think a kiss would have been more romantic. Passio–!"

Ichigo pulled the shopkeeper's striped hat down over his face –ignoring the muffled protests. "Don't even think of exploiting me for acting out your perverted plays."

Then, the boy turned to the rabbit. Her long, velveteen ears were twitching out of nervousness. Ichigo knelt down and placed a reassuring hand on the top of her head.

Rukia felt it –the surging force of his aura. Ichigo's _reiatsu_ was like the ocean. At first a rushing force like an incoming tide, and then a pulling back as he took careful measure to precisely form his own _reiatsu_ into tenuous threads. Finer and finer –so that it wouldn't be as harsh as the slamming open of a door when it entered the structure of her soul.

His eyes were closed, familiar frown lines etched on his brow. Although he looked as if he were concentrating on a single focus, his mind was actually drifting rapidly through a succession of various memories.

What makes Rukia _Rukia?_

_Hell if I know…_

Death God. Partner. Companion. Friend.

_"Don't move. Don't even try to move one step from there. If you try to follow me, I'll never forgive you."_

Ichigo had always taken a silly sort of pride for somewhat being a lone wolf. He knew what it was like to lose someone. From _that_ moment six years ago, he had made it so that he didn't need anyone.

But then, she came –appearing in his room like an ethereal vision out of dreams. His metaphysical angel, a Death God. He had felt the very foundations of his world shifting.

"_I was just thinking how you were the person I have to tell this to the most. I've decided to remain here –in Soul Society."_

_Need _–that crippling yearning that took you whether you wish it or not. He had learnt that there was no controlling need. And all of a sudden, his world wasn't the same without her.

And you ask yourself: Where was the beginning of all this?

_It is not 'Shinigami'. It is 'Kuchiki Rukia'._

One Soul Slayer, one chance meeting between two souls.

oooOooo

Rukia sensed it. A calling. An unstoppable force that summoned her back to the one other form familiar to her. There would be no denying it.

She opened her eyes. Her hand reflexively reached up to rest on the boy's hands lightly clasping her face.

Ichigo said, "Welcome back… Rukia."

* * *

Author's Note: Chapter title –**Cogito ergo sum** is that famous line: "I think, therefore I am." _Kyudo _is the Way of the Bow. Next chapter: Epilogue.

To Syneiam who asked the good question: "Where's Rukia's _gigai_?" Please allow Urahara to explain that in the epilogue. ;)

LemmingRebel –Hello to you too. :) I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter.

cokeboi –Tried my best to keep it up. Never knew such an attempt proved to be quite nerve-wrecking.

seal-chan –I'm happy you like it. Just trying to share the Bleach love. ;)

Sousui –How Urahara plans to _slither_ out of this eh? The snake better move fast because Rukia's going to catch him for some due explanation-time.

Atrophy –Yes, everything Ichigo did will probably be good ammo for Rukia's use in the future.

rukiaprincess –Wow, with your review –my ego may just balloon to the point where I won't be able to get through any door. I think writing fanfics really widened my knowledge –on a lot of odd stuff though (and very random topics. ;)

roxy-san –Sorry this update came a little late. Didn't want to overwhelm anyone with an explosion of IchiRuki fluff in the final chapter.

Zero-Vision –Yes, that's exactly how I feel. Took him about 12 chapters for 'truth to dawn'.

ShinigamiLenne –I was such a meanie pot for misleading you, forgive me? ;) Praise the maestro Kubo Tite for the creation of such a quirky character like Urahara. He's so much fun.

DigiChar –You've even given thought to actually being a rabbit in your own house! Now, that is imagination. (Smushed by avalanche of boxes and eaten by a cat?)

Ayume Yamashira –I'm glad you like this fic. I'm a Rukia-supporter too.

Ahria –I'm taking liberties to assume that "Wow…" wasn't followed by, "…the author's a certified nutcase with a fanfic account." ;)

Procrastinator-starting2moro –Alphabet spaghetti! –laughs!- If Rukia took that as lunch, she'd be 'eating her own words'. Heh. Forget I said that. The **Infinite Monkey Theorem **does exist. But how far it can be considered true… that's a different story all together.


	15. Epilogue

Disclaimer: All Bleach characters belong to Kubo Tite.

**Rukia: My Life As A Rabbit**

**Epilogue**

"Welcome back… Rukia," Ichigo said.

Hearing her name called, the girl looked up at him and blinked as if in a daze. The touch of her hand on his own, and the softness of her skin beneath his fingers –it made Ichigo's breath catch in his throat.

"Ichigo…" she said. Then, the confusion in her eyes seemed to clear. Her gaze sharpened and she smiled in that familiar impish way. "Ichigo," she said again. "What's with that look on your face?"

Rukia's free hand came up to grip his chin and tilt his head up in a patronizing manner. She grinned. "Don't look as if you _missed _me, you fool."

Ichigo caught her hand and pulled it aside. He snorted in her face, "Who would? Your bad attitude. Check. Your annoying personality. Check. Yup, it's you. There's no mistake about it."

_My heartbeat going crazy. My hyper-sensitivity towards your every move. Check, and check._

But, that was an inventory he wouldn't be listing aloud so easily.

oooOooo

"Check up complete!" Urahara said, smiling. "Everything is working fine, Kuchiki-san. I think Tessai has prepared some tea for everyone in the next room. Why don't we join them?"

Rukia wiggled her toes and balanced herself on one foot. She said pensively, "It's amazing when you think about it…"

Urahara watched her. She had an easy grace and poise even in her _gigai_. He said, "What do you find so unimaginable, Kuchiki-san? After all, with your love for Chappy the Rabbit, assuming that form should have been nearly _natural_…"

In one flowing motion, Rukia twisted her body and lashed out with a high-kick. Her foot stopped an inch from Urahara's chest. "Leave Chappy out of this," she said. Then, she lowered her foot, and tidied her uniform as if she hadn't just threatened to deliver a numbing blow to his lungs. "Ah, the _gigai_ is fully-functioning," she added happily.

The stunned shopkeeper recovered, and laughed. "Spiritrons, Kuchiki-san. Structures in Soul Society are made of it –including your _gigai. _They can be broken down into molecules. From there –who's to say that the form cannot be fluid?"

The girl pondered on it with a puzzled look on her face as she walked to the door. "I can understand the use of shape-shifting drugs. But, why _rabbits_? They're not very adept for battle."

"Kuchiki-san, one moment please."

Rukia turned around, one hand on the _shoji _door. Urahara gave her a searching look. He said, "Kuchiki-san, tell me… Was there something that was keeping you in that form for so long?"

Rukia stared silently back at him. He continued, "The drug is a catalyst that wears off with time. It responds to the user's will. I don't know your reason for it. But, I'm sure you have the answer."

Rukia paused for a moment, and said, "I'll think about it." Then, she slipped out of the room.

Urahara shook his head at her typical response. The shopkeeper walked out to the hallway and stopped. Yoruichi was leaning against the wall, arms crossed. She smiled at him, and said, "Honestly, Kisuke. A kiss out of fairytales by Ichigo? Surely, you didn't expect me to believe in something so corny?"

"There's no pulling the wool over your eyes, is there? I just thought I'd give Kuchiki-san a little… _incentive_ to return. Besides," he said, planting a hand on the beam beside Yoruichi's slender form, "what's so wrong about a kiss?"

oooOooo

Ichigo's classmate giggled. "Good morning, Kurosaki-san! Why didn't you bring your pet rabbit to school today?"

The boy stifled a groan. He shot a look at Rukia. She was smirking like mad, _dammit_!

The girl remained clueless to Ichigo's mortification, and continued, "She was so adorable!"

Rukia looked at her, extremely pleased. "Thank you," she said.

The girl blinked at her in surprise. "Eh..? Kuchiki-san…"

Ichigo put his head down on his desk with a loud thunk, hiding the pained look on his face. _Rukia, you idiot! I'm not even going to watch this!_

oooOooo

Ichigo glanced at the teacher helping Asano out with his questions in front of the class. He hissed softly at Rukia. She looked up from her book, and raised her eyebrows at him.

The boy kept an eye on his teacher, and said as nonchalantly as he could, "What do you think about getting a rabbit from the pet shop?"

He could see Rukia's eyes widening. Then, with an unreadable expression on her face, she quickly looked down again at her book.

Ichigo frowned. Well, that offer was met with less enthusiasm than expected. He stuck his foot out to nudge hers. But, Rukia folded her feet up. The boy gave her an annoyed look, and started to prod at her desk with the toe of his shoe.

"Hey! Hey, Rukia! Don't ignore me."

His teacher cleared her throat meaningfully. Ichigo looked up. _Uh-oh.. Got caught!_

"Kurosaki-kun, please don't disturb your fellow classmate. If you're done, you can start with today's homework."

He blushed furiously. "Sorry, sensei."

The boy noticed that Rukia didn't even shoot him her usual gloating look for getting reprimanded by the teacher. What's up with her? Was it something he'd said?

After school, the boy caught up with Rukia as she crossed the park. As he matched his steps to her pace, he said, "So… how about it? We could stop by the pet shop and choose one."

Rukia smirked, but she looked straight ahead without meeting his eyes. She said, lightly, "Trying to replace me already?"

Ichigo stared incredulously at the girl walking ahead without waiting for him. He lengthened his stride to go after her. "Rukia! _Kami-sama_… your _gigai_ may be working fine. But, is your head still in Bunny-mode or something?"

_Damn!_ _How fast can she walk with legs shorter than mine?_

He leaned down and caught her arm, jerking her to a stop. He said quietly, "I'm not trying to replace you with anything."

_Ichigo, I'm your partner. But, there are things you still hide from me. I don't want to be protected by you. I want to be by your side, and I want you to see me as your equal. How can I be your counterpart when you keep sheltering me from your secrets?_

Rukia spoke softly, "Can I be the person whom you can talk with when you want to?"

The boy was surprised by the sudden change in topic. He stared at her. "What did you say?"

Embarassed, Rukia shoved him, catching him off-balance. He tripped and sprawled down on the grass. She leaned over him with a deathly serious look on her face. "Just because you thought I wasn't around, I found out a lot of things I didn't know about you, Ichigo."

Right, Ichigo thought, I was just wondering when you would bring up all those things I did when you got yourself mutated into my pet rabbit. Looks like I'm in trouble now.

Rukia watched the boy open his mouth. He said, "If this is about that trip to the vet…" She rolled her eyes, and cut in, "No, this isn't about your sadistic inclinations to torture defenseless rabbits."

"Hey! That's exactly what I'm trying to say. I'm not –"

"Your Hollow, Ichigo," she said tersely. He shut up immediately, and glared at her. She glared right back at him. "Yes, please do shut up tight every time I mention that!"

"Rukia, you don't know what it's like."

She looked at him sadly. "That's right. I have no clue about it because you won't tell me a damned thing. Why are you so stubborn, Ichigo? Don't you know I feel worse not knowing anything?"

He reached up and pulled her head down to his shoulders. His heart was racing away in his chest. But, he didn't think he could say this directly facing her. "You'll be there when I need someone to talk to –that's what you said, right?"

Rukia couldn't reply because if she took a breath, made the slightest movement –the moment would be broken.

"I need you to listen because there's something I want to tell you now." Rukia could feel his hands fisting into her collar at the nape of her neck. "I'll find a way to deal with the Hollow. Whatever the methods are, I'll find them. I just hope you'll understand that I've reasons for what I do, and–"

_And even if you're going to be angry with me later for doing this, I can only ask you to hear me out at the end. Can you grant my selfish request?_

Rukia stopped him. "I'll wait. I told you before; I'll wait for you to tell me what you have to say."

_So, don't concern yourself about it._

"Thank you, Rukia."

Rukia looked cute as a rabbit. There was no doubt about that. But, Ichigo couldn't help thinking that it was this Rukia which he could not take his eyes away from –her dark hair, dark eyes, and pale lithe limbs, her mysterious way of knowing exactly what to say to him.

"Besides, Ichigo," she said, slightly muffled by his shirt, "you'll never find another one like me. I'm one of a kind you know."

He snorted. "That's right. A Death God going undercover as a first-class rogue rabbit."

Rukia got to her feet, and dumped her school bag onto Ichigo's laughing face. She dusted herself off, and said, "Just for that, you can have the _honor_ of carrying my bag home."

"That was freakin' heavy!" the boy yelled. He called after the girl walking ahead with her haughty strides, "Hey, I could just chuck this into the park's fountain!"

Rukia didn't even turn back. She just waved one slim hand carelessly at him. "Go ahead, Ichigo. I'll just kindly remind you that you'll be the one paying for the new set of Chappy back-to-school stationery."

Ichigo swore at the now conveniently deaf Rukia. She would never yield. Rabbit, or not.

* * *

Author's Note: My thanks to everyone who followed this to the end. I hope you'll help me by letting me know what you think, so I can try my best to improve on my shortcomings in writing. (I know kissing scenes is one..;)

And as ever, I'm at your service in fanfic writing. Much thanks for making this fic a wonderful experience.

To Ichigo fans: Have a great time celebrating his birthday.

Ahria –I'm glad you liked the last few paragraphs. Was really worried about it.

chibi milktea –Got hold of _Cogito ergo sum_ from a bit of net searching. Although, it was probably around in ethics class. (Lost amongst the other philosophers.)

Sousui/ Seaplue –Thank you for looking forward to the update. I give you my final chapter –with all my best.

Procrastinator-starting2moro –What a mental image! Ichigo snogging a rabbit? Poor boy would have to go into therapy after that.

ShinigamiLenne –He didn't kiss her. It's a weak consolation, but.. he did in my first draft! ;)

Zhivago –I can only thank the net for making research on operating Japanese bows so fun. I'm glad you enjoyed the story.

wayofthepen –Rabbits are not to be underestimated, especially not those of Genus _Rukialagus._

rukiaprincess –Wow, I've been called Sweetheart! ;) Tried my best to make it good. Thank you for wishing me well!

Kijarat –All credits must go to Kubo Tite-sensei for the creation of our much-loved Bleach, and such wonderful characters!

PsYcHoPaThIcJoY –I'm glad you enjoyed the Urahara bits. I'll keep on writing just to share the Bleach love!


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